# Opinion: Omar's Republican Challenger John Nagel Says She 'Had a Choice and Picked Political Theater' by Sharing a Stage With Hasan Piker

The retired state trooper says Omar ignored warnings from Sen. Klobuchar, Mayor Frey and Jewish community leaders. The column is his argument as her opponent.

- Section: [Opinion](https://rightnewsrightnow.com/opinion/)
- Published: 2026-11-01
- By: RightNewsRightNow Staff
- Canonical page: https://rightnewsrightnow.com/articles/opinion-john-nagel-ilhan-omar-hasan-piker-event-chose-political-theater-fox-news/

This is a summary of an opinion column in Fox News. The views are the author's, not RightNewsRightNow's.

The argument. John Nagel, the Republican running against Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota's 5th District, writes that days before the election Omar chose to appear with the streamer Hasan Piker, and that the choice shows her judgment. He says she was warned and "doubled down."

The event. Nagel says Omar appeared on Oct. 26 at a live conversation in Minneapolis titled "I'm the Host Now!", hosted by state Sen. Omar Fateh. He says the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas called her decision "a betrayal of Jewish Minnesotans," that Sen. Amy Klobuchar called Piker's statements reckless and unacceptable, and that Reps. Angie Craig and Betty McCollum, Mayor Jacob Frey and state Sen. Ron Latz also spoke out. He says her campaign answered that the Democratic Party is a "big tent."

What he says about Piker. Nagel accuses Piker of saying "America deserved 9/11" and calling Hamas "a thousand times better" than Israel, and he says Piker called Republicans "terrorists." He also says Omar called the GOP the "pedophile protection party" on stage. These are Nagel's characterizations. We have not checked the quotes.

His pitch. Nagel says he spent 30 years with the Minnesota State Patrol and never asked anyone's party before responding to a crash. He lists his positions: a secure border, accountability for violent criminals and fraudsters, relief from the cost of living, and support for police. He writes that "you can fight hard for your principles without calling millions of your fellow citizens enemies."

Our note: this is a candidate's argument against his opponent days before the vote. The column does not include a response from Omar or Piker. Our earlier stories cover Nagel's task force proposals and the federal probes Omar faces.

## Source

Original reporting: [Fox News (opinion)](https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/john-nagel-ilhan-omar-opponent-choice-picked-political-theater)