Harry Reid is reportedly considering holding a vote to raise the debt limit with no strings attached, but the Senate majority leader doesn't appear to have the support of the entire Democratic caucus.
Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, told THE WEEKLY STANDARD Tuesday that he opposes a clean debt limit hike, saying he wants to use it as an opportunity to solve the country's financial problems.
TWS: Senator Manchin, do you support a clean debt limit hike? MANCHIN: I'm just looking at everything. No. I want to fix the long-term financial problems.
On Monday, an aide to Senate majority whip Dick Durbin told Yahoo News on Monday that " all 54 Senate Democrats" would vote for a clean debt limit bill, but Manchin's opposition indicates that that isn't true.
It's not clear if any other red state Democrats in the Senate would balk at a clean debt limit hike. Democratic senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota was asked by THE WEEKLY STANDARD on Tuesday if she would vote for a clean debt limit bill. She did not reply.
According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, the United States will hit the debt ceiling sometime between October 22 and November 1.