Hasan Piker joins Rep. Ilhan Omar for live event

Left-wing livestreamer Hasan Piker and Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar joined DFL state Sen. Omar Fateh on Monday evening for an event some Democrats criticized as divisive.

Piker is a self-described democratic-socialist and popular figure with many younger progressives who feel unrepresented by the Democratic Party. He has backed Democratic candidates like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan.

Some Democrats, including governor hopeful U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, criticized Piker for past statements they deemed offensive and chided Omar and Fateh for appearing with someone they deem a polarizing figure on the eve of an election.

The event billed as “I’m the Host Now!” was held at the Theatre in the Round, a small venue with 245 seats in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in Minneapolis. The event was advertised as a curated conversation series hosted by Fateh and organ...