Rep. Ilhan Omar defied mounting pressure from fellow Minnesota Democrats on Monday night, appearing alongside controversial left-wing streamer Hasan Piker despite widespread outrage over his past remarks about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Hamas and Jewish Americans.
The Minnesota congresswoman joined Piker and Democratic state Sen. Omar Fateh at a sold-out Minneapolis event just eight days before the midterm elections, brushing aside warnings from prominent Democrats who feared the appearance could damage the party’s chances in key races.
The gathering, held at Theatre in the Round near the University of Minnesota, sold out within five minutes of being announced, according to organizers. Roughly 250 seats were available.
Omar participated in a discussion with Piker and Fateh that lasted more than 20 minutes before departing. The event, titled “I’m the Host Now!,” continued with Fateh and Piker discussing politics and the upcoming election.
The congresswoman’s decision to go ahead with the appearance exposed a bitter divide among Minnesota Democrats, several of whom had publicly demanded that the event be canceled.
Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., blasted Piker’s rhetoric as “polarizing and dangerous” and called the decision to embrace him “a mistake.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s gubernatorial campaign similarly condemned several of the streamer’s previous comments as “reckless and unacceptable.”
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, also distanced herself from the controversy, making clear she had no involvement in the event and would not attend.
Flanagan instead participated in a separate get-out-the-vote event with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party’s leadership also sought to distance the organization from the gathering, stressing that it was not a party-sanctioned event.
The backlash centered on Piker’s history of inflammatory statements, including his notorious 2019 declaration that “America deserved 9/11.”
Piker later apologized for the remark, but his subsequent comments about Israel, Hamas and Jewish Americans have continued to generate controversy.
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During an appearance on “Pod Save America” earlier this year, Piker declared that he would “vote for Hamas over Israel every single time.”
The streamer has also referred to Orthodox Jews as “inbred” and faced another wave of criticism in August after warning that American Jews could face violent consequences over their support for Israel.
“People don’t f— with Israel any longer. And if Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they’re singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone will come around and take action not against Israel, mind you, but against American Jews,” Piker said in August.
Piker, who commands millions of followers across social media platforms, has rejected accusations of antisemitism.
The controversy also drew objections from Jewish Democrats in Minnesota, some of whom called for the event to be scrapped.
Despite the growing backlash, Ilhan Omar’s campaign defended her participation, arguing that Piker’s popularity among younger progressives could help Democrats boost turnout ahead of Election Day.
“Early voting among people under 40 is down, and we need to do everything to get young people to the polls,” Omar’s campaign told FOX 9. “The Congresswoman knows the Democratic Party is a Big Tent party, and she’s excited to join Senator Omar Fateh’s event to mobilize young voters and get them to vote in this critical midterm election.”
During Monday night’s discussion, Omar encouraged attendees to vote while discussing her political career and Minnesota’s place in national politics.
Piker also addressed the direction of the Democratic Party and the federal immigration enforcement operation known as Operation Metro Surge.
The event came despite warnings that associating with the controversial streamer could alienate moderate voters and members of Minnesota’s Jewish community.
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University of Minnesota political science professor Larry Jacobs previously warned FOX 9 that the appearance would “create a split within the DFL,” potentially distracting statewide Democratic candidates from their closing campaign messages.
The controversy also handed Republicans a fresh opportunity to attack Democrats in the final stretch of the campaign.
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, the Republican nominee for governor, criticized Democratic leaders for welcoming Piker, while other GOP officials questioned why more Democrats had not condemned his rhetoric.
For Omar, however, the political calculation was clear. The congresswoman went ahead with the appearance despite objections from members of her own party, betting that Piker’s appeal among younger voters would outweigh the backlash.
Omar is seeking another term representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District against Republican challenger John Nagel, a former state trooper.
With Election Day approaching on Nov. 3, the controversy has underscored the growing tensions between the Democratic Party’s progressive wing and candidates attempting to appeal to a broader electorate.
POLL: Should Ilhan Omar Be Deported If Found Guilty Of Immigration Fraud?
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[ H/T Trending Politics ]
