Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia and chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, speaks throughout a listening to on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Sen. Joe Manchin’s reelection campaign raised nearly $300,000 from company political motion committees and executives days after the conservative Democrat mentioned he would oppose President Joe Biden‘s $1.75 trillion social and local weather spending bundle, in accordance to a CNBC evaluation of Federal Election Commission filings.
Some of the executives who donated to his campaign additionally beforehand contributed to Republican leaders’ political operations, together with former President Donald Trump’s.
Manchin is up for reelection in 2024. His campaign raised simply greater than $1.5 million within the fourth quarter, ending the interval with over $6 million available. Manchin’s campaign has by no means raised that a lot cash over the October-December quarter, according to a campaign finance expert.
More than $280,000 from company PACs and influential donors got here after Manchin introduced on Fox News on Dec. 19 that he wouldn’t again Biden’s main spending bill, which is named Build Back Better.
Manchin, who represents West Virginia, has a pivotal vote within the Senate, which is cut up 50-50 between the 2 events. That has made him and his political operation a magnet for lobbying from enterprise leaders and particular curiosity groups.
Following his announcement final month that he wouldn’t vote in favor of Biden’s Build Back Better plan, data present that his campaign acquired contributions from firms similar to Facebook (now often called Meta), CVS Health, Lowe’s, Anthem, Cigna, Boston Scientific, Cheniere Energy and Emergent BioSolutions. Those donations ranged from $1,500 to $5,000.
Manchin’s campaign additionally acquired particular person contributions from main executives after he successfully blocked Build Back Better, together with $5,800 from Republican megadonor and Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone. The billionaire additionally individually gave to Manchin’s PAC, which is known as Country Roads. Langone had beforehand supported Trump when he ran in 2016 and endorsed lots of the former president’s financial insurance policies.
Real property magnate Richard LeFrak, who has primarily given to Trump’s and Republican candidates’ committees, donated $5,800 to Manchin’s reelection campaign after he opposed the Build Back Better Act. LeFrak’s sons, Harrison and James, who’ve given massive cash to Democrats and Republicans, mixed to contribute over $10,000 to Manchin’s campaign.
David Fischer, a Trump donor who additionally served because the then-president’s former ambassador to Morocco, gave $5,800 to Manchin on Dec. 20. Other donors who’ve financed GOP campaigns and gave to Manchin’s reelection effort late final 12 months embrace actual property titan John Cushman III, veteran lobbyist Catherine Finley, health-care government Robert Patricelli and Joel Myers, CEO of AccuWeather.
A month before his contributions to Manchin’s operations, Langone praised the senator reside on CNBC. Langone additionally mentioned he meant to host a large fundraising occasion for the conservative Democrat.
“I do not see management anywhere on this nation. Thank God for Joe Manchin,” Langone mentioned on the time. “I’m going to have one of many largest fundraisers I’ve ever had for him. He’s particular. He’s treasured. He’s an ideal American,” he added.
Representatives for Manchin didn’t return emails in search of remark.