Manchin and Sinema aid GOP in defeating Dems and Biden.

Senators Manchin and Sinema Could Be Key to GOP Victory in Debt Ceiling Battle

As Democrats and the White House push for a deal to raise the debt ceiling without negotiations, Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema may be the GOP’s key to victory.

In a break from their Democratic caucus, both senators are calling for negotiations and could stall Democratic pressure in the Senate for the House to pass a debt ceiling resolution with no stipulations.

Signs of Stress Start to Build in Markets as Debt Ceiling Deadline Looms

Manchin has called on President Joe Biden to negotiate with the GOP and other congressional leadership and has expressed optimism for a planned meeting between the parties next week.

“I hope President Biden’s invitation to Congressional leaders is sincere and he is genuinely willing to negotiate because the country cannot afford a failed negotiation,” Manchin said in a statement on Monday. “Every day without action brings the American government closer to default and the American people closer to economic chaos. I urge President Biden to show true leadership and finally put politics aside and the well-being of our nation first.”

The West Virginia Democrat also told Politico that he has communicated to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy that regarding the debt ceiling bill passed in the House, “there’s things I don’t like in there, but there’s a lot of things we can agree on.”

Sinema, who left the Democratic Party in December 2022, also expressed concern over the coming debt ceiling deadline and has urged both sides to negotiate.

“Both sides need to come together, put down the partisan talking points, and discuss realistic solutions to prevent default,” Sinema said to the outlet.

The Arizona independent has also reportedly “quietly dined” with McCarthy and has expressed a desire to come to an agreement with Republican senators, per Politico.

Difficult Reelection Bids

Both Manchin and Sinema face difficult reelection bids for their Senate seats in 2024, but neither has publicly said whether they will seek an additional term in the upper chamber of Congress.

Manchin would likely face popular Gov. Jim Justice if he runs for reelection in the heavily GOP state. Polling suggests Justice holds a significant advantage in opinion polling compared to the incumbent senator, with a 66% approval rating compared with Manchin’s 38% approval rating.

The West Virginia Democrat has positioned himself against Biden, who is deeply unpopular in the Mountain State, by coming out against some of the president’s recent proposals.

Manchin has come out strongly against a rule that would halt tariffs on Chinese solar panel manufacturers, saying he “cannot fathom why the Administration and Congress would consider extending” reliance on China. He has also gone after Biden for the way his administration has implemented the Inflation Reduction Act, which he served as the key vote for, even threatening to vote to repeal the bill if the Biden administration continues using it to fund “its radical climate agenda.”

Sinema will likely face a three-way race if she decides to run for reelection, with Rep. Ruben Gallego running from the left and a GOP candidate to her right.

Debt Ceiling Deadline Looms

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said the U.S. is set to default on its debt obligations on June 1, leaving a short window to raise the debt ceiling. Biden and congressional leaders from both parties, including McCarthy, are set to meet to discuss the debt ceiling on May 9.

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