AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
- Republican billionaire Ken Langone told CNBC he'll fundraise for Democratic Senator Joe Manchin.
- "He's special. He's precious. He's a great American," Langone said, praising Manchin's stalling of Biden's agenda.
- Manchin has opposed major climate provisions and wealth taxes in Democrats' spending package.
While centrist Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin might not be popular among his party's peers looking to pass President Joe Biden's social-spending agenda, his opposition has him popular among one group: Republican billionaires.
"I'm going to have one of the biggest fundraisers I've ever had for him," GOP billionaire Ken Langone told CNBC on Wednesday, referring to Manchin. "He's special. He's precious. He's a great American."
Langone, a major Republican donor, praised Manchin's "guts and courage" for being a holdout on major elements of Biden's proposals, like climate investments and taxing the rich. Insider previously reported that thanks to Manchin, a significant climate measure – the Clean Electricity Performance Program (CEPP) – was cut from Biden's $1.75 trillion social-spending framework, which would have helped cut carbon emissions in half by 2030.
And when it came to taxing billionaires, Manchin wasn't a fan of that idea either, saying last month that "they've contributed to society, they've created a lot of jobs and invested a lot of money and give a lot to philanthropic pursuits," but he still believed everyone should pay their "fair share."
Langone is not the only billionaire to have expressed support for Manchin's centrist beliefs. Last month, billionaire investor Nelson Peltz told CNBC he spoke with Manchin every week and encouraged him to whittle down Biden's agenda, saying "Joe is the most important guy in DC, maybe the most important guy in America today."
As CNBC reported, both Langone and Peltz supported President Donald Trump. Beyond their expected contributions, Manchin has already received corporate contributions from JP Morgan Chase, Duke Energy, and PG&E.
Democrats are hoping to pass their scaled-down $1.75 trillion social-spending framework before Thanksgiving, but Manchin has made clear he will not support the bill until he knows its impacts on the budget and inflation, forcing Democrats to wait until Manchin is satisfied because they cannot afford to lose one vote.
"I don't see leadership any place in this country," Langone said. "Thank God for Joe Manchin."