Hasan Piker's political rise takes centre stage as Twitch broadcast beats ABC, CBS in live viewership

Hasan Piker is becoming one of the biggest online voices in American politics. The left-wing political streamer attracted 241,783 viewers at the same time during his election-night broadcast on Twitch as Americans followed the 2026 midterm results. His audience was nearly three times larger than ABC News' YouTube coverage and five times that of CBS News. The numbers show how political livestreamers are reaching people who might not turn to traditional news channels. Piker's growing audience also raises questions about how much influence online creators now have over American politics.Hasan Piker's 241,783 Live Viewers Put His Twitch Coverage Ahead of Major News NetworksPiker's election-night numbers were among the biggest for an individual creator covering the November 3 midterm elections. According to Streams Charts, his Twitch broadcast collected 1.75 million hours of viewing. It was the second-most-watched individual broadcast of the night, behind NBC News' coverage featuring Steve Kornacki.NBC's nearly 11-hour stream, called the "Kornacki Cam," attracted 29 million views across platforms and reached more than 300,000 viewers at its peak. Still, Piker's numbers stood out when compared with other major news networks' online coverage.His Twitch audience was almost three times the size of ABC News' YouTube audience and five times that of CBS News. However, traditional television remained much bigger overall. According to Nielsen data, NBC averaged 6.8 million primetime viewers, while ABC had 5.1 million and Fox News attracted around 4 million.The figures show that livestreamers are becoming a serious part of election coverage, even though they have not replaced television news.The wider trend was also visible across online platforms. Streams Charts reported that election-related livestreams collected 10.27 million hours of viewing across more than 2,500 channels in the 30 days before the election. That was 4.5 times the viewing recorded before the 2022 midterms.Piker alone accounted for nearly 45% of that viewing time, showing just how much attention one political creator can attract.Hasan Piker's Political Work Is Drawing Attention From Democratic CandidatesPiker's role in American politics goes beyond covering election results. He has also supported Democratic candidates and taken part in their campaigns. During the 2026 election cycle, he campaigned with Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and backed progressive candidates Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier. Both won congressional seats in the November 3 elections.His connection with Democratic politicians was also visible on election night. California Congressman Ro Khanna appeared on Piker's livestream. Politicians are increasingly interested in reaching people through online creators, particularly younger Americans who may not follow traditional news broadcasts.A 2025 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 38% of Americans aged 18 to 29 regularly get news from social media influencers. Among Americans aged 65 and older, that number was just 8%.This gap helps explain why political figures are paying more attention to platforms such as Twitch and YouTube. A livestream also gives viewers a chance to ask questions and respond while the discussion is happening. Unlike a regular television broadcast, the conversation does not have to stop when the news segment ends.Piker explained this difference in an interview with Reuters. He said his broadcasts involve constant back-and-forth conversations with viewers. He also described his influence as modest among Democrats under 45 who feel frustrated with the party.However, his growing role has not come without criticism. His past remarks have drawn strong reactions, including comments about the September 11 attacks. Republican Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers also used Piker's remarks against Abdul El-Sayed during the campaign.El-Sayed had earlier asked Piker to be more careful with his comments after the streamer made remarks about the safety of Jews who supported Israel, CNN reported.Despite the criticism, Piker remains an important voice among left-wing online audiences. However, his popularity does not automatically mean he speaks for the entire Democratic Party. EMarketer analyst Max Willens told Reuters that Piker may be one of the leading voices on the far left, but comparing his influence with that of the wider Democratic Party would be going too far.For now, his election-night audience offers a clear example of how Americans are finding new ways to follow politics outside traditional television news.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.