An Associated Press report said that Republicans in the US senate are leaning to vote against the Democratic measure to push the $7.25 minimum hourly wage to $10.10 as soon as 2016. The report said that the minimum wage measure, which is one of President Barack Obama's top priorities, might have difficulty getting passed in the GOP-run House even if it does survive in the Senate.
SFGate said that the Democrat candidates could easily use the proposed bill as a weapon to give them a leg up in the upcoming congressional elections in November given the fact that certain demographics traditionally skew the Democratic Party. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that women and young people make up the disproportionate portions of the 3.3 million people who have earned less up to the current minimum wage per hour last year.
Democratic pollster Geoffrey Garin said about the potential political strategy, "It's a powerful values issue for middle-class voters. And it's a powerful motivator for voters in the Democratic base who are a focal point of Democratic efforts to turn out voters in the midterm elections."
On the other hand, Republicans reportedly are against the minimum wage increase measure. SFGate said that the increase is opposed by the business allies of the GOP, and the party's lawmakers have cited that the increase could drive up employers's costs.
Republicans have said that instead of championing for the minimum age increase, the government should prioritize on finding ways to increase the number of jobs.
Republican pollster David Winston said, "You can try to wave a magic wand and artificially (increase wages. Instead, the GOP is reaching out to voters) who'd like to be earning more money and really think the economy needs to be turned around."
SFGate noted that despite the war waged between both political factions about the minimum wage, the issue might produce little more than fodder for political campaign advertising.
