Hasan Piker, a left-wing socialist and Twitch streamer, has gained support among young Democratic voters. However, Democratic strategist James Carville has stated he may leave the party if Piker gains influence.

Why is James Carville threatening to leave the Democratic Party?

In an interview with Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing, Carville said he would no longer be part of the Democratic Party if Piker becomes a significant force within the party, Mediaite and The Hill reported.

“I am not going to be in the same party with Hasan Piker, I can tell you that right now,” Carville told anchor Jacqui Heinrich, according to Mediaite. “If he becomes a force in a Democratic Party, I’m out of here. I have no intention of ever being in the political party with that guy.”

Carville also criticized the Democratic socialist platform following a viral segment in which the Democratic Socialists of America’s co-chair called for abolishing the U.S. Senate and the Pentagon.

“I think that a majority, overwhelming majority Democrats agree with me,” Carville said, per Mediaite. “But this idea that we’re going to seize the means of production…just go look at the DSA platform. You don’t have to look any further than that.”

How both political parties are facing growing divisions

The Democratic strategist compared the rise of progressives and other left-wing figures to what’s happening on the Republican side.

In recent months, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., both staunch MAGA supporters, have distanced themselves from the movement, per Mediaite and The Hill.

“I can’t sit here and tell you for certain how this is going to turn out,” Carville said. “The one thing I can tell you is for certain, Hasan Piker and James Carville are not going to be in the same political party. One of us is going to leave. It might even be me.”

Who is Hasan Piker?

Piker, also known as HasanAbi, is a 35-year-old YouTuber and Twitch streamer of Turkish descent who was raised in Istanbul. He incorporates left-wing politics in his streams, with 3.1 million Twitch followers and between 1.3 and 1.8 million YouTube followers.

He launched his channel as a liberal alternative to the conservative online commentators who have attracted young voters in recent years, according to Rolling Stone and information on Piker’s social media platforms.

During his college years, Piker had an interest in politics and joined The Young Turks, a media brand co-founded by his uncle Cenk Uygur. He later rejoined the company, hosting and producing a show called The Breakdown, which focused on making news and politics accessible to the millennial audience, per Rolling Stone.

By 2020, he became a full-time Twitch streamer while growing his political influence on the platform. He went viral for playing the game Among Us with Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar and fellow streamer Pokimane, garnering more than 700,000 viewers. Years later, he covered the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and has since backed several DSA candidates.

Piker has faced backlash over his foreign policy views, especially those relating to America’s relationship with Israel. The ongoing aftermath of the October 2023 conflict between Israel and Palestine, and the subsequent war in Gaza, has prompted many Democrats to be outspoken about the conflict.

In June, Vox reported that the Democratic organization Third Way has encouraged other Democrats to distance themselves from Piker, as his views could potentially harm other candidates’ upcoming races.