By Jarrett Renshaw and Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Kyrsten Sinema is the recent recipient of an honor that U.S. Senate colleagues more loyal to President Joe Biden’s agenda have never received – three invitations to the White House in just one day.

As her opposition to the $3.5 trillion budget proposal for social spending has been a major obstacle to Democratic attempts to secure support for this pillar of President Obama’s domestic agenda, the Arizona Democrat is currently in private huddle with Biden and his aides.

This spending bill aims to lower inequality through improving access to education and healthcare, as well as taking action to combat climate change. Democrats plan to raise taxes on wealthy Americans and big corporations in order to pay for the bill.

Sinema and Joe Manchin, a Democratic Senate moderator from West Virginia both believe the bill’s high price is threatening its chances in the heavily divided chamber. Democrats have been trying to pass it through “reconciliation”, which does not require Republican support.

Multiple requests for comment were not answered by a spokesperson for Sinema. Sinema made a July statement, saying that “I don’t support a bill costing $3.5 trillion” and promising to “work with good faith to build this legislation.”

The White House only stated Wednesday that she wanted a bill passed.

Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary, refused to give details about Sinema’s spending plans.

According to administration officials, Sinema could be the White House’s best option for striking a compromise.

Former social worker and first senator, Sinema (45 years old), was key to reviving negotiations over Biden’s $1 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure bill. The Senate passed that agreement last month, with 19 Republicans voting in favor.

Its passage in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is now complicated by disputes between moderates and progressives over the larger package.

Sinema isn’t up for election until 2024. This year, Biden may seek re-election. Many liberal organizations have suggested that they will back Sinema as a primary challenger for failing to support their priorities.

On Saturday, the Arizona State Democratic Party passed an overwhelming resolution that criticised Sinema’s opposition to the elimination of the filibuster in order to pass more legislation without being blocked by Republicans. It also criticised her position on the Biden budget spending bill.

Adam Kinsey is a director of Uplift Campaigns in Arizona, which provides progressive Democratic consulting services. He said that Sinema doesn’t care whether the state party has reprimanded her.

He said that Sinema believes she is able to be a dealmaker.

WHAT ABOUT ANOTHER MAVERICK

According to local political activists, Biden won Arizona’s 2020 election after supporting Republican President Donald Trump. John McCain, the country’s long-serving senator was an independent Republican.

Charles Coughlin (chief executive at the Arizona political strategist firm Highground) stated that she is worried about her opposition if she signs on to this huge spending bill. Her polling is actually better among Republicans than Democrats which, while it may seem strange, helps understand her motivations.

Based on a GovTrack analysis https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/kyrsten_sinema/412509 of her 2020 voting track record, Sinema is the most conservative-leaning of any Democratic senator, and further to the right than independent Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with the Democrats.

Sinema also has received campaign donations due to her criticism of Biden.

In April, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the largest business lobby group in the country, said it was donating https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-chamber-backs-manchin-sinema-with-campaign-contributions-2021-04-15/%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B to Sinema and Manchin because they were working with Republicans and opposing some of Biden’s policies.

MIDTERM WORRIES

Biden’s legislative difficulties may be deeper, however, than any one senator.

People familiar with this matter say that a greater number of Democratic caucus member have expressed concerns to White House officials and senior Democratic legislators about the 2022 election in which their party controls both chambers.

Many members of the caucus believe that it will be difficult for them to bring home a spending bill so large and cumbersome, even though its components are very popular.

Building Back Together, an organization that was created with the White House’s approval to promote Biden’s agenda released polling Wednesday to reassure Democrats in 48 battleground areas that they would be rewarded by voters for supporting a robust legislative package. It lowers healthcare costs while increasing taxes on the wealthy and corporations.

The 2010 Affordable Care Act (popularly called Obamacare) was popular among Democrats, but it was not popular in the first place due to strong Republican opposition.

The Democrats lost the majority in the House later that year. Biden served as Obama’s vice-president.

Sinema’s deal is not a guarantee of success for Democrats. Liberal Democrats would be disappointed if the overall scope of the spending bill was reduced. This could lead to the derailment of House approval of the infrastructure bill. It is expected that the vote will take place on Thursday.

Psaki stated that “we knew it would come to a compromise and that it was exactly what it is.” “We don’t have the luxury of being frustrated around here.”