In a newly released television spot, David Beamer – father of Flight 93 passenger and 9/11 hero Todd Beamer – warned voters that Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El‑Sayed continues to associate with streamer Hasan Piker, who in 2019 said America “deserved 9/11.” The ad, produced by the Great Lakes Conservative Fund, a super PAC backing Republican candidate Mike Rogers, was posted Monday by Great Lakes HQ.
Ad highlights Beamer’s message
The commercial opens with the 2019 clip of Piker’s statement, followed by footage of El‑Sayed appearing on Piker’s Twitch livestream and a moment where El‑Sayed declined to disavow the streamer when prompted. Beamer then introduces his son, describing Todd Beamer as one of the brave men who fought back on United Flight 93, saying, “Those 43 people on Flight 93 were not victims. They were killed in action. When I hear anyone suggest America ‘deserves 9/11’ my question is, ‘Who would say that?’”
El‑Sayed’s response to the controversy
El‑Sayed has repeatedly rejected Piker’s 9/11 remark, but he has resisted calls to fully renounce the streamer, noting that Piker campaigned with him during the Democratic primary. The ad suggests that El‑Sayed’s reluctance to cut ties with Piker reflects a broader pattern of “Leftist” candidates refusing to draw clear boundaries on extremist rhetoric.
Reactions from supporters and critics
Elizabeth Pipko, a former Republican National Committee spokesperson, expressed disappointment that families of 9/11 heroes must remain politically active to protect their loved ones’ legacies. She said, “How incredibly disappointing that, 25 years after those horrific attacks, Todd Beamer’s family is still unable to simply mourn their son and speak about his heroism. Instead, they find themselves having to teach their fellow Americans a lesson they themselves wish they never had to learn.” Pipko added, “Todd Beamer’s family knows better than most the pain that anti‑American sentiment and terrorism can inflict on us all. Todd’s character, and the American spirit of grit and guts he embodied, is what we should not only remember, but also look for in the leaders we elect to serve our great country.”
Thead Wold, a former assistant attorney general and former White House deputy assistant for domestic policy under President Trump, warned that Piker will continue to haunt El‑Sayed’s campaign as long as the candidate refuses to denounce the streamer. “Antifa Democrats and their friends in the media say a lot of dangerous and incendiary things. Hasan Piker, who endorses political violence and has denigrated the Americans killed on September 11th, has repeatedly campaigned alongside his friend El‑Sayed,” Wold said. “El‑Sayed refuses to denounce Piker not just because they’re friends but because Leftists like them don’t believe there are any boundaries when they are pursuing their ideological goals.”
Campaign context
The ad arrives as Michigan’s Senate race heads into its final stretch before the November election. Rogers, a former U.S. Representative, is positioning himself as the candidate who will stand firmly against extremist rhetoric and defend the memory of 9/11 heroes. El‑Sayed, a former Detroit health official, has faced criticism from conservative groups for his perceived tolerance of controversial online personalities.
Fox News Digital reached out to representatives of Gold Star Families, the El‑Sayed campaign, and the Rogers campaign for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
