For most of this year, the success of Democratic legislative pushes on everything from COVID-19 relief and voting-rights legislation to judicial nominations and infrastructure have rested on two lawmakers.
With President Joe Biden in the White House and Democrats in control of the House, the party sought unity to get many of their most ambitious priorities through Congress.
Biden and the other 48 members of the Senate Democratic caucus have largely stuck together on most of the big votes despite the challenges posed by Manchin and Sinema.
According to a report from The New York Times, the senators are now attracting campaign donations from Republican donors who see them as moderating forces holding back what they view as an overly-progressive government.
Both attended a conservative-leaning event in the last few months.
As Manchin led the charge in trimming Biden's infrastructure reconciliation framework down to its current price tag closer to $2 trillion, he also attended a fundraiser at a $18 million mansion in Dallas which brought out GOP donors who were effusive in his efforts, according to The.
Sinema went to the same home in September to raise money for her campaign.
The Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting advancement Act are at risk because of Manchin and Sinema's refusal to nix or weaken the filibuster.
President Joe Biden spoke about prescription drug prices in the East Room of the White House on August 12, 2021.
AP Photo/ Evan Vucci
Many progressive hopes have been dashed by Manchin and Sinema.
Sinema has gained conservative-leaning financial support due to her objections in raising corporate income tax rates, and Manchin has been one of the party's biggest impediments in expanding the social safety net.
Business-aligned donors have given to both parties before.
Liz Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming who has been one of the most outspoken critics of former President Donald Trump, has received major contributions from Democratic donors this year.
Many of the contributions that have been funneled to Sinema and Manchin this year have come from donors who don't have a lot of experience dealing with the Democratic duo, and the funds also come as Biden's Build Back Better Act is still being debated in Congress.
Leading progressives wanted to pass a $6 trillion bill earlier this year, but Senate Democrats settled on a $3.5 trillion framework before Manchin's opposition to paid- leave provisions and additional measures sliced the bill to its current $2 trillion blueprint.
The billionaire investor Kenneth Langone told CNBC that he would hold one of the biggest fund-raisers he had ever had for Manchin.
Langone defended his stance in a statement to The Times.
He said that his political contributions have always been in support of candidates who are willing to stand tall on principle even when that means disobeying their own party or the press.
According to The Times, Stanley Hubbard, a billionaire Republican donor, donated to Sinema for the first time in September.
He told The Times that he thinks we need more of those in the Democratic Party.
John LaBombard, a Sinema spokesman, denied that donations had influenced her approach.
He told The Times that Senator Sinema makes decisions based on what's best for Arizona.
Manchin didn't respond to requests from The Times.
Between January and September of 2020, Sinema raked in $6.1 million in campaign donations. Manchin took in $3.8 million and had $5.4 million on hand.
Both Manchin and Sinema are up for reelection in 2024, but they have not yet announced their plans.
