Full Breakdown
Abdul El-Sayed, Hasan Piker, and the 9/11 Controversy in Michigan’s Senate Race
8/10/2026, 12:11:08 AM
Core Event
In August 2026, Democratic physician Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won Michigan’s U.S. Senate primary, defeating Rep. Haley Stevens by one point. Republican opponents then claimed El-Sayed had endorsed a 2019 Twitch remark by far-left streamer Hasan Piker that “America deserved 9/11.” El-Sayed told *Meet the Press* the comment was “dumb,” noted Piker had disavowed it, and framed the backlash as “gotcha politics” and “cancel culture.”
Background & Context
El-Sayed’s campaign emphasized Medicare for All, ending unconditional aid to Israel, and a $2 trillion-plus tax shift to fund health care. His alliance with Piker, a Twitch personality with roughly three million followers, was presented as a way to reach younger voters. The 2019 livestream resurfaced during the primary, prompting criticism from establishment Democrats and a coordinated Republican attack that highlighted El-Sayed’s Muslim background by using his full name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed.
Data & Statistics
- Margin: single-percentage-point win over Stevens.
- AIPAC spending: nearly $32 million on ads opposing El-Sayed.
- Piker’s audience: about 3 million regular viewers.
- Turnout: El-Sayed said 500,000 more Democrats voted than Republicans in the primary.
Official Statements & Responses
- El-Sayed disavowed the 9/11 remark: “Of course it was a dumb statement. I think Hasan himself would say it was a dumb statement. He disavowed it.”
- Kamala Harris: “Abdul knows we need bold solutions… I proudly stand with him to ensure we win a Democratic Senate majority in November.”
- Rep. Mike Rogers (R): claimed El-Sayed “believes America deserved 9/11,” a claim fact-checkers labeled an allegation without evidence.
- Snopes rated the claim that El-Sayed said America deserved the attacks false, noting the quote belongs to Piker’s 2019 stream.
Criticism & Opposition
Rogers’ campaign repeatedly used El-Sayed’s full name and linked him to “terrorist organizations,” echoing past Islamophobic attacks on Muslim politicians. Former President Donald Trump called El-Sayed a “hater of Jews and Israel.” Veteran strategist James Carville warned that continued association with Piker would make the campaign “unviable.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Republican ads attribute the 9/11 comment directly to El-Sayed, while Snopes, independent fact-checkers, and El-Sayed himself assert the remark belongs solely to Piker, who later apologized and called it “inappropriate.” No primary-day transcript or reputable outlet records El-Sayed ever endorsing the statement, highlighting a clear discrepancy between partisan claims and verified sources.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Of course. Of course it was a dumb statement. I think Hasan himself would say it was a dumb statement. He disavowed it,” — Abdul El-Sayed
- “Abdul knows we need bold solutions to the crises facing America’s working families, and he is ready to take on this fight. I proudly stand with him to ensure we win a Democratic Senate majority in November,” — Kamala Harris
- “I spent my life hunting terrorists,” — Mike Rogers
- “Notice how they chose to use my full name. It echoes exactly what they did against President Obama,” — Abdul El-Sayed
What’s Next
El-Sayed will face Rep. Mike Rogers in the November 2026 general election. He hopes former President Barack Obama will join his campaign trail, and Democratic Senate leadership has pledged support. Both campaigns are expected to intensify messaging around the 9/11 controversy, the full-name strategy, and policy differences as Michigan remains a pivotal battleground for Senate control.
