Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
· collected 2026-09-06 · by CJ Womack
Rep. Jamie Raskin dismissed scrutiny of far-left streamer Hasan Piker's pro-Hamas comments as an "irrelevant distraction" on NBC's "Meet the Press". The comments in question were made by Piker, who stated he would vote for Hamas over Israel "every single time", and have been criticized by Republican National Committee national press secretary Natalie Baldassarre. Raskin also defended his campaign with Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who has ties to Piker, despite some Democrats publicly distancing themselves from the streamer. According to Baldassarre, Piker's influence could become a liability for the Democratic Party heading into November.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Here's a summary of the news story:
Hasan Piker, a 35-year-old far-left Twitch streamer and Democratic Socialists of America supporter, has been making headlines with his incendiary statements, including comparing Zionism to "Nazism" and defending communist Chinese dictator Mao Zedong. He has also stated that he would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time. This has prompted outrage from some Democrats, who see him as a liability in the midterm election cycle. However, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) dismissed Piker's comments as an "irrelevant distraction" and said he doesn't know if Piker considers himself a Democrat. Some Democratic officials have distanced themselves from Piker, including Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI), who publicly denounced him and withheld her endorsement of Abdul el Sayed, the Democratic nominee for the Senate race in Michigan. Despite this controversy, Piker has stated that his goal is not to make the Democratic Party look good, and he claims that party officials have not reached out to coordinate a strategy with him.
Written for “Hasan Piker's Political Stance” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score +0.85 for article 6090 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-07
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., dismissed scrutiny of far-left streamer Hasan Piker's rhetoric about Hamas as an "irrelevant distraction" Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," as host Kristen Welker pressed him over Democratic divisions surrounding Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed's relationship with the controversial online personality.
asserted
Welker → dismiss → personality
Welker played Raskin a clip of Piker saying he would vote Hamas over Israel "every single time" and asked whether the Democratic Party’s tent was large enough to include the streamer.
asserted
tent → play → streamer
"I don’t even know if Hasan Piker considers himself a Democrat.
asserted
himself → know → ?
I know he attacked me for campaigning with Callie Barr and Sean McCann and other Democrats in Michigan.
asserted
he → know → Michigan
I think all of that is an irrelevant distraction," Raskin said.
asserted
Raskin → think → that
"Obviously, nobody supports Hamas, a terrorist organization which brutally attacked Israel on Oct. 7."
asserted
which → support → Oct.
Natalie Baldassarre, national press secretary for the RNC, pointed to Piker’s growing role in Democratic politics and his support for socialist candidates as she warned that his influence could become a broader liability for the party heading into November.
uncertain
influence → point → November
"The Democrat Party is being driven off [a] cliff by socialists who are driving blindfolded while arguing about the view," Baldassarre said in a recent statement to Fox News Digital.
asserted
Baldassarre → drive → Digital
"Unless Democrats hit the brakes, every candidate on the ballot will have to answer for socialists’ outrageous beliefs that will bankrupt our country and strip every American of safety, sanity, and freedom."
asserted
that → hit → safety
Raskin's comments came after he campaigned alongside El-Sayed in Michigan in late August.
asserted
he → come → August
El-Sayed has continued to face questions over his ties to Piker as some Democrats have publicly distanced themselves from the streamer.
asserted
Democrats → continue → streamer
Piker, who endorsed El-Sayed and appeared at multiple campaign events during the Democratic primary, reiterated his comparison between Hamas and Israel during an April appearance on "Pod Save America."
"I’ve also said I’m a harm reduction voter.
asserted
I → endorse → America
I’m a lesser evil voter, and therefore I would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time," Piker said in the clip played for Raskin on Sunday.
asserted
Piker → ’m → Sunday
Piker has also faced renewed criticism for comments involving American Jews.
asserted
Piker → face → Jews
Fox News Digital reported that he warned on a livestream that if American Jews continued presenting themselves as "singularly invested in Israel," someone could eventually "take action" against them.
uncertain
someone → report → them
El-Sayed responded to that controversy by stressing that the streamer was not a spokesman for his campaign.
asserted
streamer → respond → campaign
"I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople," El-Sayed said.
asserted
Sayed → want → me
El-Sayed has nevertheless resisted calls to fully disavow Piker.
asserted
Sayed → resist → Piker
During a recent interview with Stephen A. Smith, he said his goal was to bring the streamer's millions of listeners into the electoral process rather than abandon them over disagreements.
asserted
goal → say → disagreements
"What I’m saying is there are 3 million people who listen to Hasan," El-Sayed said.
asserted
Sayed → say → Hasan
"I want to offer them a pathway into an electoral movement."
asserted
I → want → movement
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., called the attention devoted to Piker "absolutely ludicrous," while Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash, said Democrats should engage his audience even if they disagree with some of his views.
asserted
they → call → views
Other Democrats have urged the party to distance itself from him.
asserted
Democrats → urge → him
Fox News Digital reached out to Piker for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
asserted
Digital → reach → response
