"The Democrats are having a civil war!"
It's a tale, and maybe more of an aspirational hope, as old as time — old as that classic warhorse "will this be the year Democrats turn Florida blue" (and maybe Texas, too, but maybe we'll put a pin in that one while the state sorts out the whole Paxton thing).
The battle, we're told, is between the young turks of the DSA vs the Democrat party "old guard", where we're told the party of Hillary and Amy Klobuchar and Rahm Emanuel and Ken Martin is trying to figure out how to either fend off the party of Bernie Sanders, AOC, Zohran Mamdani and Hasan Piker, or find out how to co-exist with it.
And judging by one of the states on the vanguard of that battle, it just might not be going all that smoothly.
Minnesota's become a national punch line, a synonym for the rot that accompanies blue dominance. But the state's twenty-year losing streak for Republicans at the state level and half a decade of fraud cases and Learing Centers belies the fact that Minnesota is almost geometrically split: the congressional delegation has four Republicans and four Democrats, the state House is literally tied 67-67, and the Senate is 34-33 DFL.
Polling has shown Amy Klobuchar with a consistent but shrinking lead over GOP speaker of the House Lisa Demuth. Polling for the other races is within the margin of error, especially for the US Senate tilt between sitting Lieutenant Governor and DSA-adjacent DFLer Peggy Flanagan and GOP challenger and sportscaster Michele Tafoya, and the Attorney General race between incumbent Keith Ellison and litigator and political newcomer Ron Schutz.
It won't take much to tilt things, one way or the other — which is not a place the DFL is used to being in.
Against that backdrop, state Senator and former Minneapolis mayor candidate Omar Fateh decided to throw a rally in support of embattled Minnenapolis representative Ilhan Omar next Tuesday - exactly a week before the election — featuring Mao-adjacent terror-supporting DSA firebrand podcaster Hasan Piker:
Minnesota state Sen. Omar Fateh is scheduled to host US Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and political streamer Hasan Piker at a Minneapolis event on Oct. 26, drawing attention to the political alliances among prominent figures on the state’s far left who have been visceral critics of Israel.
The event, titled “I’m the Host Now,” was announced by Fateh, who has received endorsements from the Twin Cities chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Alpha News reported on the planned gathering, highlighting Fateh’s ties to the socialist organization and Piker’s history of controversial political commentary that has promoted antisemitism and support for US-designated terrorist groups.
“The rumors are true! My sis Representative [Ilhan Omar] and my brother [Hasan Piker] will be joining me for the inaugural event of ‘I’m The Host Now!'” Fateh said in a statement.
Now, if you're a committed far-leftist, the timing might seem just fine.
If you're not?
Long-time Twin Cities journalist, former talk show host and impeccable liberal David Brauer — whom Ed and I interviewed once, and with whom I once drafted a set of State Senate social media rules — posted an observation on BlueSky while out door-knocking for the DFL (via Dustin Grage):
Democrats are panicking over on BlueSky after door-knocking in a +7 Democrat district. Republicans are winning over the moderates. If Republicans show up to vote, we will win. Show up. Vote straight Republican ticket. Save Minnesota. https://t.co/UW9HvxNnVh
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) October 20, 2026
Mainstream Democrats are also perking their ears up.
Angie Craig, the sitting Minnesota 2nd District rep who got pulverized in her primary challenge to Flanagan for the Senate seat, got out front first:
As Democrats, we constantly criticize the far-right for their incendiary and discriminatory politics, but we need to hold ourselves to the same standard. Hasan Piker’s rhetoric is polarizing and dangerous, and embracing him as a party is a mistake. I am disappointed that Minnesota DFLers are hosting an event with him here.
— Angie Craig (@AngieCraigMN) October 17, 2026
And some at the state level - including state senator Ron Latz, heretofore a progressive with impeccable liberal credentials (but a little too much of the "red seat pedestrian" set for the modern DSA):
As Democrats, we are right to speak out when Republicans spread hateful rhetoric. We have the same responsibility when it comes from our own side. Hasan Piker’s record of hateful rhetoric is clear. Senator Omar Fateh and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar should not lend him their platform. My full statement:
— Sen. Ron Latz (@RonLatzMN) October 20, 2026
Amy Klobuchar was a little more muted, but not far behind:
Amy Klobuchar, Angie Craig condemn Hasan Piker ahead of planned Minneapolis event with Ilhan Omar, @marcrod97 reports https://t.co/0PjyHGOqtY
— Jewish Insider (@jewishinsider) October 19, 2026
Piker responded with his usual erudition:
Hasan Piker on Amy Klobuchar and Angie Craig condemning and trying to cancel his planned event with Ilhan Omar and Omar Fateh: "I have a lot of fans in Minneapolis. Minneapolis is one of the more radical, Democratic base of supports in the country. I'm willing that there are more people deeply invested in the party in Minneapolis that are fans of mine than fucking Amy Klobuchar, you know what I mean? I'm so tired, man. I'm tired. What you do not realize is this: When you make a big deal about a narrative that is entirely reactionary, designed to cause an outrage cycle in Minnesota, as a Democrat, even if you like your big donors, you should privately assure that we are different than one another; we're not fans of each other, but it's a big tent and we gotta defeat Donald Trump. These guys [centrist Democrats] think there is this broad, anti-Hasan sentiment bubbling up. They do not see that these attacks only make them look like they're deeply out of touch and deeply out of step. Klobuchar, you're going to win. It's going to be a blowout victory. What are you doing? This is your time to actually lean in to your base. I'm just so tired. The Somali community is constantly under attack by the exact same forces that are trying to present me as this big danger and you have prominent Democrats in this state leaning into it. Disgusting."
— adri ♡ (@socialistadri) October 19, 2026
And some Minnesota DFLers - in this case, embattled two-term incumbent DFL Attorney General Keith Ellison - have made it harder than others to escape the association:
WATCH: Minnesota AG Keith Ellison praises far-left streamer Hasan Piker "I like talking to you, man. You do a good job, man. How do I stay in touch with you, man? Is that possible?" Ellison said during a January appearance on Piker's stream. "Good job, Hasan." Piker has faced backlash for a number of controversial comments, including recently stating: "If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone is going to come around and take action, not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews." Piker also once said America "deserved 9/11" and that Hamas is “a thousand times better” than Israel.
— Alpha News (@AlphaNews) August 26, 2026
Note to Minnesota DFLers: carry on as you were. I'm not standing in your way.
