Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich. who lost the Democratic Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, appeared on Fox News's "The Sunday Briefing" and called on El-Sayed to sever his association with left-wing streamer Hasan Piker. "It certainly makes sense to get rid of this Hasan Piker affiliation," Stevens said. She made the comment while declaring her support for El-Sayed in the general election.
Stevens maintained the criticism of Piker she had leveled during the primary, even as she framed herself as a loyal Democrat committed to the party's success in November. She described herself as "still a Democrat" and said she remains committed to advancing the party's positions on healthcare, democracy and Black-owned businesses.
El-Sayed, a progressive candidate, was photographed with Piker at a poolside party for content creators supporting his campaign in Detroit on Aug. 3. The images drew scrutiny from critics who argued the association complicates his appeal in a general election.
Host Jacqui Heinrich pressed Stevens on whether El-Sayed had done anything beyond winning the primary to earn the support of demographic groups that had backed Stevens — including Jewish voters, Black voters and Reagan-era Democrats. Stevens pointed to her own strong performance with those communities rather than citing specific actions by El-Sayed. She identified herself as a Zionist Democrat and said the Democratic Party has room for all those communities.
"I came really close [to winning the primary] and I'm still a Democrat," Stevens said. "I'm still out here talking about my views and values. I want the people who share my views and values to feel safe and to feel heard in the Democratic Party."
A Fox News poll released ahead of the broadcast showed Republican Mike Rogers leading El-Sayed in the general election matchup, though the margin was not specified. The result adds pressure on El-Sayed and the party as the race enters the general election phase.
The Michigan Senate seat is open. Retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who had backed Stevens in the primary, is not seeking re-election. Democrats need to hold or flip seats to reclaim the Senate majority, and Michigan is one of roughly a dozen general election Senate races expected to decide whether Republicans keep their narrow majority.
Rogers, the Republican nominee, enters the general election as the beneficiary of Democratic infighting. The primary was competitive enough that Stevens, despite losing, has conditions attached to her endorsement — the Piker break being the clearest one she named publicly.
El-Sayed won the Democratic nomination over Stevens in what both campaigns described as a closely contested race. The primary outcome left Stevens's coalition of Jewish voters, Black voters and moderate Democrats without a candidate who directly reflected their priorities. The general election question is whether El-Sayed can consolidate those voters against Rogers.
Stevens did not say El-Sayed had contacted her or taken any steps to address her concerns beyond winning the nomination. Her appearance on the program functioned as a public ultimatum dressed in party-unity language: back El-Sayed, yes — but only if he moves away from the far-left media figures who animated his primary campaign.
The Piker association is the most concrete flashpoint Stevens named. Piker, a popular left-wing streamer with a large online following, has drawn criticism from figures across the Democratic Party for comments on foreign policy and other issues. Stevens did not specify which Piker statements she found disqualifying, but her call for a clean break was unambiguous.
Michigan's Senate race is drawing national attention as a test of whether progressive primary winners can prevail in competitive states. The state backed President Trump in the 2024 election, making El-Sayed's path to the Senate narrower than it would be in a reliably Democratic state. A Rogers victory would extend the Republican Senate majority and mark a significant general-election loss for the Democratic left.
