Several top executives said they privately hoped the conservative Democrat would switch parties and run against President Joe Biden in the 2024 elections, CNBC has reported.
According to someone who attended the event, Manchin was hosted by Trian Partners co- founder Nelson Peltz for a lunch to raise funds for his reelection campaign. They did not want to be named in order to discuss the event.
A spokeswoman for the finance executive confirmed that he hosted the event and that he continued to support Manchin. Emails to Manchin's campaign office and a call to his Capitol Hill office weren't immediately returned. Manchin has previously stated that he has no plans to switch parties.
Mr. Peltz supports Mr. Manchin. He believes Mr. Manchin is a rare elected politician from both sides of the aisle who puts country before party. In a CNBC interview last year, Peltz said that he has been friends with Manchin for a decade.
According to a person who attended the event, Home Depot co- founder Ken Langone and Bernard Marcus, who support Republicans, were among executives at the event. Leon Cooperman, who has contributed to both sides of the aisle, was also at the lunch. Representatives for Marcus and Cooperman did not return calls.
Manchin told the crowd of donors that he plans to run for reelection in 2024, according to an attendee. Manchin has previously said that he will make a decision about running for reelection after the midterm elections.
The estate in Palm Beach, Fla. is worth at least 95 million dollars. Virtual Globetrotting, a website that tracks mansions owned by billionaires across the country, shows that Peltz's oceanfront mansion has an outdoor swimming pool, tennis court and basketball court. The venue has hosted a number of high profile events, including the wedding of Brooklyn Beckham, the son of David Beckham and former pop star Victoria Beckham, as well as a fundraiser for President Donald Trump.
Manchin is up for reelection in 2024 but his stance against key elements of his party's and Biden's agenda has previously led to an influx of campaign donations from a plethora of special interests. With the Senate split evenly, Democrats can't pass much without Manchin's support.
Manchin opposed Biden's social spending bill known as "Build Back Better" and pushed back on the idea of raising corporate taxes from 21% to 28%. He is willing to allow corporate taxes to go up to 25%. Manchin has previously opposed a wealth tax. Manchin opposed Biden's pick for the Federal Reserve board. CNBC reported Manchin's opposition to the climate change activist.
Home Depot co- founder Marcus gave two separate checks to Manchin's campaign last month. Manchin received $5,000 from Cooperman in February. Manchin's latest filing doesn't list Schwarzman and Langone as donors. Langone donated to the West Virginia lawmaker's reelection campaign and political action committee late last year. Langone lavished praise on Manchin during a previous interview with CNBC, and said he will host a fundraising event for him. Manchin's campaign raised more than a million dollars in the first three months of the year and has $7 million on hand.
Although Manchin told the group he plans to run for reelection to the Senate as a Democrat, a small group of donors at the event privately said they hope he changes parties and runs for president as a Republican against Biden in 2024, the attendee said.
Some attendees at the Peltz event, who once supported Trump, now look at Manchin and his stances against some of his party's policies as someone who could run in a Republican primary and possibly defeat Biden.
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