Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar went ahead with a controversial Minneapolis appearance alongside left-wing streamer Hasan Piker on Monday night, rejecting mounting criticism from prominent Minnesota Democrats who had urged distance from the extreme left-wing, America-hating personality over his past remarks about the Sept. 11 attacks, Hamas, Israel and Jewish Americans.
Omar joined Piker and Democratic state Sen. Omar Fateh for a sold-out event at Theatre in the Round in Minneapolis just eight days before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The event, titled “I’m the Host Now!,” was hosted by Fateh and billed as the beginning of a series of political conversations, with the approximately 245-seat venue selling out within minutes.
Omar participated in a discussion with Piker and Fateh for more than 20 minutes before leaving, while Piker and Fateh continued discussing left-wing politics and the upcoming election. The congresswoman’s decision to participate exposed divisions inside Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, where several prominent officials had publicly condemned Piker or sought to distance themselves from the event.
Democratic Rep. Angie Craig, who is leaving the House after losing a primary for the U.S. Senate, was among the most outspoken critics, calling Piker’s rhetoric “polarizing and dangerous” and arguing that Democrats should hold their own political allies to the same standards they demand from Republicans.
“As Democrats, we constantly criticize the far-right for their incendiary and discriminatory politics, but we need to hold ourselves to the same standard,” Craig said before the event. Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is running for Minnesota governor, also criticized Piker, with a campaign spokesperson describing a number of his statements as “reckless and unacceptable.”
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, similarly distanced herself from the gathering, saying through a spokesperson that she was not participating and had consistently condemned hateful rhetoric.
The Minnesota Democratic Farmer Labor Party also stressed that the gathering was not an official party event as the controversy intensified in the closing days of the campaign.
Much of the criticism centered on Piker’s history of provocative statements, including his widely condemned 2019 remark that “America deserved 9/11.” Piker has also drawn criticism for statements about Hamas and Israel, including saying earlier this year that he would choose Hamas over Israel in a hypothetical electoral comparison.
He has faced additional accusations of antisemitism over comments about Orthodox Jews and American Jewish support for Israel, allegations that Piker has rejected.
Despite those controversies, Piker maintains an enormous online following and has become an influential voice among younger leftists who don’t know anything about the socialism he is promoting because they’ve never lived under it (and neither has Piker).
Omar’s campaign explicitly cited that concern when defending her decision to appear with the usual excuse, saying early voting among people younger than 40 was down and Democrats needed to find ways to motivate them. “The Congresswoman knows the Democratic Party is a Big Tent party,” her campaign said, adding that Omar was participating to help mobilize young voters before the midterms.
Piker also appeared at the University of Minnesota before Monday night’s event, where he encouraged students to vote early and livestreamed portions of his visit. During Monday’s event, Omar encouraged attendees to vote and discussed her political career and Minnesota politics, while Piker addressed broader disagreements inside the Democratic Party.
The controversy continued Tuesday when Piker was confronted about his rhetoric and the criticism from Minnesota Democrats, which he dismissed as part of the normal disagreements that occur within a political party.
The event also came as Omar faces a separate federal investigation involving her immigration history, including an Oct. 12 search of her Washington residence tied to her immigration status, according to reports. Democrats bailing on her isn’t a good sign.
