Manchin courts Sinema's support on spending deal

West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin will reportedly attempt to coax Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema into supporting the sweeping spending package he has negotiated with party leadership to advance the Biden legislative agenda.

“I’m sure we’ll get a chance to speak today because she usually comes in [on Monday], and we’ll speak on the floor,” Manchin said, according to The Hill.

The moderate West Virginia senator announced in late July that he had reached an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on a major spending package that will include environmental and tax provisions.

Sinema has not committed to supporting the compromise bill and has previously expressed opposition to closing the carried interest tax loophole, a part of the legislation of paramount importance to Manchin, the outlet noted.

Sinema and Manchin have long stood in opposition to some of the Biden White House's more radical policies and have refused calls to amend the filibuster to push through radical legislation. In the 50-50 Senate, the pair have assumed pivotal roles in deciding the fate of a range of Democratic legislative items.

Manchin was confident. however, that the bill he and Schumer negotiated was effectively drafted. “I’m just saying, we have a good balanced piece of legislation. It’s taken me eight months to get here. We’ve listened to everybody along the way,” he said.

Opposition from Sinema would effectively kill the deal entirely, barring Republican support.