GOP prays Sinema and Manchin pare back Dems' big spending bill

Republicans who speak frequently to the duo are realistic about their chances, acknowledging it’s highly unlikely Sinema and Manchin would end up blocking their party’s biggest priorities altogether. But Sinema is publicly uncomfortable with spending $3.5 trillion and Manchin is noncommittal — so the GOP senses an opportunity.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who is close to both senators and is trying not to overtly pressure them, said “each of them is fiscally responsible and are people of courage. And so I hope they will break on this enormous expansion of government.”…

Montana Sen. Jon Tester, another moderate, was quicker to vow support for Democrats’ budget resolution setting up the spending bill than Sinema or Manchin. But like them, he says his vote for a budget by no means locks in his support for the final product.

“I’ve worked with Joe a lot and I’ve worked with Sinema a lot over the last four months. I think they are going to do what they think is right. And I don’t think that means they are going to tear it down,” Tester said. Their vote, he said, “depends on all sorts of shit.”