Hong appears on stream with Hasan Piker, who has said US deserved 9/11

Wisconsin candidate for governor and democratic socialist Francesca Hong raised more than $57,000 ahead of a key fundraising deadline while appearing on a June 29 livestream with left-wing online commentator Hasan Piker, who critics call antisemitic and who once said America “deserved” the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Piker, who has more than 3 million followers on Twitch, is an influential but controversial figure within Democratic circles for his rhetoric on Israel and U.S. foreign policy. Hong said she does not agree with some of his past comments but argues candidates “need to show up in every space.”

Two other Democrats in the governor’s race said they would not join a livestream with Piker, while a third implied she also wouldn’t. The other two candidates did not weigh in on their opponent’s appearance with Piker.

Hong raised another nearly $35,000 the same day while joining the “Mike From PA” stream, an account banned from Twitch several times. Her appearances came one day before the end of a fundraising period – candidates have until July 15 to submit a campaign finance report covering activity from Jan. 1 through June 30, 2026.

Hong joined Piker in his Los Angeles studio for about 90 minutes, discussing policies in her platform, the departure of Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Act 10 era in Wisconsin politics, Madison’s restaurant scene and whether a democratic socialist candidate is viable in Wisconsin.

“The person who wins the most votes is the most electable,” Hong said.

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Wisconsin conservatives seized on Hong’s appearance with Piker, including U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is the Republican frontrunner in the governor’s race. Conservative radio host Dan O’Donnell said Piker “just might be the only person on Earth crazier than she is.”

Critics have called Piker anti-American and antisemitic. In comments from 2019, Piker said America “deserved” the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, later calling his remark “inappropriate.”

Piker recently said he would “vote for Hamas over Israel every single time” – comments condemned by the American Jewish Committee.

A U.S. House resolution, which has not passed but includes 24 cosponsors from both parties, condemns online antisemitism and mentions Piker, citing his comments that Orthodox Jews are “inbred.” Piker said he regrets using that language and says his critics conflate his criticism of Israel with attacks on Jewish people.

In June, Piker was blocked from entering the United Kingdom, where the government determined his presence “may not be conducive to the public good.” Piker and his uncle, commentator Cenk Uygur, said they were banned for criticizing Israel, the BBC reported.

Tiffany said, “Any candidate for governor should have the judgment to reject that kind of extremism.”

“Francesca Hong willingly appeared on the livestream of someone who has said America ‘deserved 9/11,’ praised Hezbollah terrorists and claimed, ‘It doesn’t matter if rapes happened on October 7,'” Tiffany said in a statement. “If the other Democrat candidates for governor refuse to condemn these statements, they’re making one thing clear: this is the extremism today’s Democrat Party fully embraces.”

Some Democrats in the field criticize Hong

A spokesperson for Sara Rodriguez, considered one of the frontrunners in the Democratic primary, said the campaign had no comment on Hong’s appearance with Piker. Democratic candidate Mandela Barnes also didn’t comment.

Jalen Knuteson, a spokesman for Kelda Roys, another Democrat in the race, did not directly say if she would or would not appear with Piker.

“How candidates raise money reflects the type of leader they are and the type of governor they would be,” Knuteson said. “Hong made a lucrative choice to align herself with an influencer who has cashed in on divisive, antisemitic, and offensive comments.”

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley was the first to say he would not appear with Piker if invited.

“I am open to all reasonable, pragmatic conversations about how to move our state forward, but Hasan Piker’s statements are beyond the pale, and I would not appear with him if invited,” Crowley said. “This race isn’t about who can generate the most viewers on their livestream by making outrageous and offensive statements.”

Joel Brennan said he “wouldn’t join that livestream because this race isn’t about clicks or views, it’s about Wisconsin.”

In a statement shared by her campaign, Hong said she doesn’t “necessarily agree with every single statement Hasan has ever made, but it’s inarguable that he uses his massive platform to stand up for working-class people, for trans people, for immigrants, and for other marginalized folks.”

Hong said she specifically disagrees with Piker’s 2019 comments about killing capitalists, circulated by Wisconsin conservatives after Hong’s stream with Piker.

“I abhor political violence, continue to be the target of threats of political violence and have condemned violent rhetoric on multiple occasions,” Hong said.

Piker has campaigned with democratic socialists elsewhere

In a teaser announcement for Hong’s appearance, Piker said he could head to Wisconsin to stump for Hong.

Piker has also rallied for Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates in New York and campaigned with Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, drawing criticism from two other Democrats in the race, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow.

McMorrow said Piker “is somebody who says extremely offensive things in order to generate clicks and views and followers, which is not entirely different from somebody like Nick Fuentes,” a far-right influencer and white supremacist.

While some in the Democratic Party have appeared on Piker’s stream, others have said they wouldn’t join him. POLITICO surveyed 14 possible 2028 Democratic presidential candidates, and only three definitively said they would join Piker’s show.

“I think that it’s essential that candidates go on and have conversations with people who have huge audiences, because otherwise we cede that space,” Hong said.

Hong is among the six Democrats still competing for the nomination in the Aug. 11 primary. The winner will advance to the Nov. 3 general election to face Republican Tom Tiffany.

Molly Beck contributed to this report.

Hope Karnopp can be reached at HKarnopp@usatodayco.com.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Francesca Hong raises $57,000 on Hasan Piker’s controversial stream