Several things to look for. If the seal between the halves is leaking, the pump will just suck air. I don't know if this worked before, or if it's new to you, etc., so you might want to be sure it's spinning the right way, also.
Many pumps won't lift on the suction side (depending on design), so if you had it above the buckets, it may not pump, even if it was working properly.
Try putting a length of hose on each side and holding the hoses up, then fill the suction side hose and run the pump to see if it pushes water up the pressure hose.
I would get a diaphragm pump if you replace it.
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Fiberglass RV