Stephen A. Smith Warns Hasan Piker Poses Major Risk To Democrats

Stephen A. Smith issued a stark warning Thursday regarding far-left streamer Hasan Piker. He told Politico host Dasha Burns on "The Conversation with Dasha Burns" that Piker poses a significant liability for Democrats in the general election. The ESPN personality cautioned that this influence could damage the party well beyond its progressive base. Republicans would use Piker as ammunition against any candidate who embraces him.

Smith stated he believes Piker's expanding political footprint will ultimately harm Democrats. "It's a negative because I think, over the long haul, from a general populist perspective, it's going to contaminate the electorate on the left side of the aisle," Smith said during the interview. He added that this situation is going to come back to haunt them.

The Republican National Committee has already sought to frame Piker's ties to Democratic candidates as an indictment of the entire party. RNC national press secretary Natalie Baldassarre spoke to Fox News Digital in August about Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed facing scrutiny for campaigning with the streamer. Baldassarre called El-Sayed a terrorist sympathizer and an America-hating socialist. She argued that his refusal to distance himself from radicals like Hasan Piker reaffirms allegiance to terrorist groups rather than America. Democrats' failure to disavow this clown shows they either share his poisonous ideology or are too cowardly to confront it, she claimed.

Smith's concerns arrived as Piker's role in Democratic politics became a flashpoint in one of the nation's most consequential Senate races. A recent Fox News poll of Michigan registered voters found Republican nominee Mike Rogers leading El-Sayed 51% to 47%, within the margin of sampling error. While 98% of self-described Democratic Socialists of America supporters backed El-Sayed, his support dropped to 69% among non-DSA Democrats and independents.

El-Sayed previously explained directly to Smith why he has resisted pressure to disavow Piker. The streamer supports the candidate and appeared alongside him during the campaign. "What I'm saying is there are 3 million people who listen to Hasan," El-Sayed said. He wants to offer them a pathway into an electoral movement where they see agreement on some points while disavowing others he disagrees with. That strategy, he insisted, is important.

Smith summarized El-Sayed's approach as an effort to win over Piker's audience rather than an endorsement of the streamer personally. "So, you're not thinking about him. You're not thinking about him. You're thinking about the 3 million people that support him, and you're trying to get those votes. That's what you're saying?" Smith asked in the interview.

El-Sayed confirmed Smith's characterization immediately. "Exactly," he said. Fox News Digital reported last week that El-Sayed attempted to put distance between his campaign and Piker after the streamer faced backlash over comments about American Jews and Israel. Despite this, Piker endorsed El-Sayed and appeared at multiple campaign events, including his primary night gathering.

Piker has faced years of controversy over political rhetoric. This includes his 2019 declaration that America deserved 9/11, which he later retracted. More recent remarks have involved Israel and American Jews as well. Fox News Digital reached out to Piker, the DNC, and the RNC for comment but did not immediately receive responses.