WASHINGTON — William Lawrence, a self-described democratic socialist running for Congress in Michigan, previously praised left-wing influencer Hasan Piker and asked about appearing on his livestream.
Lawrence, who secured his Democratic primary victory last week and is set to challenge incumbent Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.), met Piker in April at an event supporting U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed.
Introducing himself to Piker, Lawrence said, “I’m a progressive organizer, co-founder of the Sunrise Movement. I am running against two carpetbagging war hawks.”
He continued, “I’m pro-Palestine, anti-war. Yes to housing and healthcare. No to bombs and billionaires. And you’re the man, so thanks for being here,” before handing Piker campaign literature and adding, “I’d love to get on the stream some time.”
“Thanks for standing strong, brother,” Lawrence told him.
Piker responded by wishing Lawrence luck.
The matchup is drawing attention because Lawrence is attempting to flip a competitive swing district while running on a staunchly left-wing platform, after defeating more moderate Democratic opponents in last week’s primary.
Republicans, meanwhile, have targeted El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate contest over his associations with Piker, who drew backlash for saying in 2019 that “America deserved 9/11.”
The lefty streamer later, very begrudgingly, sort of suggested that it was an “inappropriate” remark because it gave Republicans fodder against him.
But he was recently seen with a framed front-page newspaper of the Twin Towers engulfed in flames during the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack.
“You might have noticed something, some changes behind me. I finally framed the cutie Cinderella newspaper from 9/11, the morning of 9/12… the newspaper that covered 9/11. It’s now officially sitting behind me,” he told viewers in July.
At one point, he also gushed over the “brave,” “mujahideen” who took out Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s (R-Texas) eye. The far-left Twitch star also contended that the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack was a “direct consequence” of Israeli actions and that if a terror group engaged in rape, it “doesn’t change the dynamic for me.”
Over recent months, Piker has fanboyed over Mao Zedong, the notorious late Chinese leader who oversaw a mass starvation that killed between an estimated 40 and 70 million people.
Piker has also suggested that being a Republican should be criminalized, claimed that “the biggest terrorist internationally is the Republican Party,” and gushed over Hezbollah.
“Unlike Tom Barrett, who hides from mid-Michigan voters, I show up and answer to the people,” Lawrence told The Post. “I make myself available to questions in person across the district and online. That’s why I’ve talked with media and creators across the political spectrum, including Fox News.”
Lawrence has not yet gone on Piker’s show, has no plans to do so, and his team isn’t pursuing it, according to his campaign, which noted that he doesn’t necessarily agree with everything Piker said.
The Michigan House hopeful had been a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) until right before his primary election on Aug. 4.
