Mai Vang appears on controversial Hasan Piker stream, addresses campaign attacks

Mathew Miranda, The Sacramento Bee on Oct 14, 2026

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Sacramento Councilmember Mai Vang joined controversial political commentator Hasan Piker for a campaign fundraising stream Wednesday afternoon, an appearance that continues to draw attacks from her congressional opponent Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento.

The appearance comes as Matsui and Vang are locked in a tight race for the Sacramento region’s 7th Congressional District. Matsui, 82, has held the seat for more than 20 years and is a pillar of the Democratic Party establishment. Vang, 41, is one of several younger and progressive challengers seeking to oust longtime incumbents across the country.

Piker, an avowed socialist and streamer who has become a flashpoint figure in American politics, interviewed Vang about her policies and encouraged viewers to support her campaign on Wednesday. Piker also bashed Matsui for her recent campaign attacks on Vang and what he described as an “entrenched multi-millionaire dynastic political name” that has failed constituents.

Matsui won her seat in a special election following the death of her then-husband Robert Matsui, who was elected in 1979. She married Washington, D.C., billionaire Roger Sant in 2020.

“It’s a true testament to how much absolute power corrupts, absolutely, or at least makes you out of touch,” Piker said of Matsui.

The appearance with Piker is likely to fuel more criticism from Matsui’s campaign, which condemned Vang last week for the planned stream. The campaign specifically called on local female elected leaders, including Sacramento Council members Caity Maple and Karina Talamantes and state Sen. Angelique Ashby, D-Sacramento, to rescind their endorsements for Vang.

That same day, Sacramento Councilmember Lisa Kaplan, who is backing Matsui in the race, released a social media statement that denounced Vang’s decision to appear with Piker.

“Elevating an individual who has built a brand on sexism, antisemitism and the degradation of women … simply to chase a young online audience or fuel a campaign war chest is a profound failure of leadership,” wrote Kaplan, who represents North Natomas.

Piker, who is a fierce critic of the Israeli and the U.S. government, has made several incendiary statements over the last few years. Among his most well-known and scrutinized comments are that the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, was the “direct consequence” of actions by the Israeli and U.S. governments and that “America deserved 9/11.”

He has since apologized for his statement on the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and denied the accusations of antisemitism, arguing his criticisms are for the country’s government and not Jewish people broadly.

Matsui’s campaign released a new advertisement on Tuesday that further seeks to tie Vang with Piker. The ad features Piker’s comments about Sept. 11.

“Who is Mai Vang?” the ad says. “Embracing extremist Hasan Piker shows her true colors. ... She calls standing with Piker an opportunity. We can’t send Mai Vang to Congress.”

Piker and Vang referenced the attacks from the Matsui campaign throughout the stream. At one point, Vang “gifted” Piker a campaign mailer that also associated Vang with him.

“The moment that institutional Dems, corporate Dems, have to face a left-flank opponent, they very quickly drop all notion of progressivism, and they start leaning into these like incredibly reactionary lines of attack,” Piker said of the campaign attacks.

Vang, who said she was not surprised by the attacks, characterized her appearance with Piker as a way to “meet people where they’re at.” She noted that Piker has a huge following of younger and progressive people that need to vote.

“I’m here really because, Hasan, you are also part of the movement, right?” Vang said. “This is going to take all of us to transform this country. And I’m really here to make sure that I’m speaking to the folks that are engaged, that are ready to vote and ready to be part of the movement to really transform this country.”

Near the end of the stream, Piker announced they had nearly raised $50,000 for Vang’s campaign.

“Also, just as important, I want every single person that’s in Sacramento in this district to go out and join the campaign and door knock and phone bank,” Piker said. “Especially because now that Mai come on this broadcast, I’m sure that there are going to be additional attack ads to try to come after her.”

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