Democrats are touting the government-funding bill as a major political victory for one of their most vulnerable members: Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinSenate leaders quash talk of rank-and-file COVID-19 deal OVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats tee up vote on climate-focused energy bill next week | EPA reappoints controversial leader to air quality advisory committee | Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' Senate Democrats demand White House fire controversial head of public lands agency MORE (D-W.Va.).

The bill includes a permanent extension of healthcare benefits for thousands of coal miners and their families.

Democrats were quick to congratulate Manchin on the fund’s inclusion in the $1.1 trillion deal.

“These are people who do back-breaking work their entire lives and they had been left out in the cold. But Joe Manchin and the folks behind me wouldn't let that happen,” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerDemocrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise Pelosi, Schumer 'encouraged' by Trump call for bigger coronavirus relief package Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (D-N.Y.) told reporters during a weekly leadership press conference, flanked by Manchin and other red-state Democrats.

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Sen. Heidi Heitkamp Mary (Heidi) Kathryn HeitkampCentrists, progressives rally around Harris pick for VP 70 former senators propose bipartisan caucus for incumbents Susan Collins set to play pivotal role in impeachment drama MORE (D-N.D.), who is also up for reelection in 2018, added: “I don’t think any one of us would deny that the great leadership that we’ve had in all of this was Joe Manchin.”

The fight is generating a flurry of positive news coverage for Manchin, a top GOP target next year who will be up for reelection in a state President Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE won by more than 40 points in last year's election.

The Washington Post rounded up articles in West Virginia newspapers playing up Manchin’s role, writing that he is getting “credit back home” on the miners deal.

It wasn’t always clear the issue would be a winner for Manchin.

In December, when he threatened to block another funding bill over the issue, Republicans sought to make him the face of opposition.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee called the fight over the spending bill Manchin’s “shutdown.”

Manchin brushed off concerns that the fight could have negative consequences for his 2018 bid, saying at the time, “I'm born in a family of coalminers. If I'm not going to stand up for them, who is?”

Other Democrats up for reelection in states won by Trump also hope to use the issue to their advantage.

Sens. Bob Casey Robert (Bob) Patrick CaseyGAO report finds brokers offered false info on coverage for pre-existing conditions Catholic group launches .7M campaign against Biden targeting swing-state voters GOP senator to quarantine after coronavirus exposure MORE (D-Pa.) and Sherrod Brown Sherrod Campbell BrownEmboldened Democrats haggle over 2021 agenda Hillicon Valley: Russia 'amplifying' concerns around mail-in voting to undermine election | Facebook and Twitter take steps to limit Trump remarks on voting | Facebook to block political ads ahead of election Top Democrats press Trump to sanction Russian individuals over 2020 election interference efforts MORE (D-Ohio), both 2018 GOP targets, also worked on the miners issue, and their offices touted their roles in the negotiations as a deal emerged this week.

The new bill leaves out money for a separate pension fund for miners that Democrats warn is headed toward insolvency without congressional help.

That is likely to be a huge fight in the fall, when the government needs another bill to keep itself funded.

Brown said he and Casey have already gotten a commitment from Sen. Orrin Hatch Orrin Grant HatchBottom line Bottom line Senate GOP divided over whether they'd fill Supreme Court vacancy MORE (R-Utah) to tackle miners pensions this year.

Pressed if Democrats would oppose a funding bill if it doesn’t include a pension fix, Schumer said that Democrats aren’t “ready to draw any red lines in the sand” but that it’s “going to be a very high priority for us.”

Manchin is one of one 10 Democrats up for reelection in states won by Trump in 2016.

Republicans are already eyeing potential opponents for Manchin, including Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and GOP Rep. Evan Jenkins. Manchin is the last Democrat standing in the state’s congressional delegation.

Manchin has positioned himself as a bridge between himself and Trump, whose voters he will need to win over next year. He highlighted his relationship with Trump during a Politico Playbook interview Thursday morning, noting the two spoke this week when Trump called to congratulate him on the miners deal.

“This could not have been done ... unless Donald Trump was involved,” he said. "No one ever thought we could get that done but we did. It was Democrats and Republicans"

Manchin also gave a shout out to Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden asks if public can trust vaccine from Trump ahead of Election Day | Oklahoma health officials raised red flags before Trump rally MORE (R-Ky.), who supported a long-term fix on miners health care and has claimed credit for getting the agreement into the omnibus.

Manchin’s willingness to work with Republicans has drawn flak from his party’s resurgent progressive wing.

As other Democrats have been quick to criticize the GOP administration, which has struggled with a string of legislative setbacks, Manchin has frequently held back. He’s also supported almost all of Trump’s nominees, including Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

A coalition of liberal outside groups pushed Schumer to remove Manchin from the leadership team earlier this year, calling the West Virginia senator a “phony Democrat who often votes or acts in conflict with the core values of the Democratic Party.”

But Manchin — who shot down rumors after the election that he would flip parties — appeared unapologetic on Thursday, characterizing himself as “pro-life” and stressing that he won’t be in “lockstep” with his national party.

“I’m a West Virginia Democrat. I'm not a Washington Democrat,” he said. “There's a lot of things I don't agree with."

He added that he had blunt advice for liberals who might not like his votes, saying he’s told them that the “solution [is] you should just run against me. ... I don’t know else to make them satisfied.”