Abdul El-Sayed Tosses Hasan Piker Under the Bus as He Rejects Al-Qaeda Take

Democratic Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed moved to put fresh distance between himself and leftist streamer Hasan Piker on Wednesday after Piker told Axios the United States was “pound-for-pound” worse than Islamist terrorist group al-Qaeda.

In a statement to Axios, El-Sayed flatly rejected the comparison with a dig at the significance of Piker’s influence and remarks:

I do not agree with this statement [on al-Qaeda], nor do I give much weight to the statements made by a social media streamer. I am more concerned with the dangerous policies of Donald Trump and Mike Rogers that are raising the prices of gas, groceries and healthcare for Michiganders.

The response comes as Republicans continue to make El-Sayed’s association with Piker a central line of attack in Michigan’s Senate race.

Piker, one of Twitch’s most prominent political streamers, was asked by Axios about his previous claim that “America is the top dog in terrorism.” Asked whether he believed the United States was worse than al-Qaeda, he replied: “Pound for pound as far as the number of deaths, yes.”

“We have caused tremendous terror all around the world,” Piker added.

He cited the deaths of more than 100 people at an elementary school in Minab, Iran, earlier this year, saying: “If you’re killing 140 schoolgirls, that is an act of terror.”

El-Sayed’s rebuttal may get him out ahead of Republican-affiliated groups seeking to use Piker’s commentary against him, groups that, according to Axios, have already spent nearly $3 million on ads linking the Democratic nominee to the streamer’s most inflammatory remarks.

Axios noted that Rogers, El-Sayed’s Republican rival, has repeatedly sought to tie the Democrat to Piker, telling attendees at the GOP midterm convention in Dallas that El-Sayed had “chosen” the streamer “as his running mate” and that “together, they attack America, excuse extremism, and treat our country like the villain.”

Watch above via Axios.

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