Dem's metldown over ‘terrorist sympathizer’ Hasan Piker triggers instant conservative mockery: ‘Yikes’
Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell's demand that reporters stop asking about Hasan Piker backfired as conservatives seized on her comments as a weak point.
Conservatives piled on Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell after she argued Republicans are trying to make Michigan’s Senate race about socialist streamer Hasan Piker, with critics saying her frustration only highlighted a political vulnerability for Democrats.
"Debbie Dingell CRASHES OUT over terrorist-sympathizer Hasan Piker who has called to kill Republicans,’" wrote the Republican National Committee’s research account.
Critics took aim at Dingell for campaigning with Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed after she told reporters she was done answering questions about Piker, whose past inflammatory remarks have drawn renewed scrutiny and pressure on Democrats to respond.
DEMOCRATS CONDEMNING HASAN PIKER AS BACKLASH SPREADS THROUGH PARTY
"YIKES: Democrats are getting tired of defending Abdul El-Sayed for his antisemitic campaign surrogate Hasan Piker Rep. Debbie Dingell: 'I am DONE. So don't any reporter ask me again about Hasan Piker.' El-Sayed has yet to disavow Piker," wrote Senate Republicans on X.
"Hint: she can stop these Qs by disassociating herself with Piker & stopping campaigning with him," wrote Crime Prevention Research Center president John R Lott Jr.
"Debbie Dingell does not want anyone talking about Hasan Piker because it is bad for Democrats ahead of the midterms… Watch how fast they all forget that Hasan Piker exists. I want to hammer this. If Dems like Dingell continue to slam Piker… he will hit back," said conservative commentator Shawn Farash.
Dingell took the stage at an Ann Arbor town hall with Rep. Jamie Raskin to campaign for El-Sayed on Wednesday, arguing Piker is not central to the race in Michigan.
"I am done, so don’t any reporter ask me again about Hasan Piker," Dingell said. "It’s not what November is about. Republicans are trying to make it – they’re trying to divide us, and we got to stop letting them try to divide us," said Dingell.
PIKER DEMANDS DEMOCRATS DEFEND HIM FROM ATTACKS, CLAIMS HE’S NO ‘TOXIC RADICAL FORCE'
"I don’t agree with Hasan Piker on a lot of stuff, and I really don’t agree with him on some of the woman things he said. And I’m still trying to figure out, is it the reason he exercises and looks buff is why he has so many followers," she added.
Dingell’s office also told Fox News Digital that she would not answer further questions about Piker.
"Congresswoman Dingell made clear this afternoon she will not answer any more questions about him. She doesn’t agree with him on many things, but this election isn’t about him. It’s about healthcare, affordability, hunger and other issues that impact working men and women," Dingell spokesperson Matt Krack told Fox News Digital Wednesday.
Conservatives and other social media commenters continued to seize on Dingell’s remarks, arguing that her frustration only underscored the political vulnerability surrounding Piker’s association with El-Sayed.
"No, your party can't stand up and say anything because they are so in shambles that they need a radical," wrote popular account Defiant L's.
"Debbie just told everyone what the Dems weak point is. Be a shame if this got exploited," wrote one user on X.
"Good example of the contrast in messaging between establishment Democrats who see their interest as winning the race and having a Senate majority, and the ones who see their interest as losing the race in order to advance their own factional agenda," pointed out one user.
"Call me crazy, but I think everyone should bring up the Democrat surrogate who thinks America deserved 9/11…," wrote Heritage Foundation media fellow Tim Young.
"’Republicans are trying to divide us by pointing out that we are campaigning with a person who said America Deserved 9/11! Republicans are monsters! Blarrrgggg!!!’ Newsflash, you don't get to play victim when you and your party openly campaign with extremists who hate America," said Michigan Forward Network director of Advocacy Mike Banerian.
Socialist streamer Hasan Piker’s continued association with El-Sayed has come under fire from Republicans and other critics, particularly as Piker faces renewed scrutiny over inflammatory remarks from his past.
Piker has faced widespread criticism for saying that "America deserved 9/11" and, in another resurfaced remark, calling to let the streets soak in "red capitalist blood."
El-Sayed was pressed on Piker's remark during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" earlier this month.
"It was a dumb statement," El-Sayed said, while making clear that he did not believe America deserved the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but rejected the idea that Piker should be cast aside over it.
In a statement earlier this month, El-Sayed called antisemitism "a scourge," condemned rhetoric that puts Jewish Americans at risk and said "nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople."
Fox News Digital reached out to Hasan Piker for comment.
Fox News Digital's Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.