The father of Flight 93 hero Todd Beamer, who helped overtake terrorist hijackers, narrated a dramatic new campaign ad slamming Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed over his association with Hasan Piker, who said America “deserved” the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
The ad began airing this week on social media amid polls showing El-Sayed’s lead over Republican Mike Rogers expanding.
David Beamer described his son as a father of two young boys with a wife who was five months pregnant when United Flight 93 became one of four airliners hijacked by al Qaeda terrorists.
The airliner never struck its target, believed to be the U.S. Capitol, because the passengers commandeered the plane away from Washington, and it crashed into a Pennsylvania field. Mr. Beamer was heard over a cellphone call saying to fellow passengers, “Let’s roll,” before a group of them stormed the cockpit.
“Those 43 people on Flight 93 were not victims. They were killed in action,” Mr. Beamer says in the ad. “When I hear anyone suggest America deserved 9/11, my question is, who would say that?”
The ad shows a video of Mr. Piker, a popular left-wing streamer, declaring, “America deserved 9/11, dude. I’m saying it,” and claiming America is worse than al Qaeda because “we’ve caused tremendous terror all around the world.”
The ad plays a cut of a reporter asking Mr. El-Sayed, “Are there any views that Hasan holds that you disavow?”
Mr. Piker responds, “I’m not here to disavow people’s views.”
Republicans are hoping to dampen support for Mr. El-Sayed in a race that could decide control of the Senate.
A Suffolk University poll conducted Sept. 16-20 showed Mr. El-Sayed leading Mr. Rogers by 7 points. Voters cited poor economic conditions in Michigan, the impact of tariffs on auto parts and a desire to “change the direction of the nation,” led by President Trump.
On Tuesday, former Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential 2028 White House contender, plans to hold a campaign event in Michigan with El-Sayed, who is a medical doctor.
The event is a roundtable focused on Black maternal health.
Last week, Mr. El-Sayed referred to Mr. Piker as “a streamer from California whom his GOP opponents were using to distract voters from the high cost of living caused by their policies.”
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