An election-year showdown over a Democratic priority -- raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour -- saw Senate Republicans block the measure on Wednesday, unleashing a torrent of criticism from President Barack Obama and his party. The measure failed to get the 60 votes needed to open debate in the 100-seat Senate, with only one Republican joining majority Democrats in an unsuccessful effort to overcome the GOP filibuster. While another vote on the proposal is possible, Obama and Democrats quickly sought to exploit the measure's initial stumble into political capital for November's congressional elections. "If your member of Congress doesn't support raising the minimum wage, you have to let them know they are out of step and if they keep putting politics ahead of working Americans, you will put them out of office," the President told a White House event that focused on the matter.
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President Obama blasts Republicans over minimum wage vote
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The issue is a priority for Democrats trying to keep control of the Senate in November
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Republicans cite various reasons for opposing the $10.10 per-hour proposal
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Polls show Americans favor an increase
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Even if the @placeholder moved ahead with the legislation, there was little chance the House, which is led by Republicans, would take it up.
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Even if the Senate moved ahead with the legislation, there was little chance the House, which is led by @placeholder, would take it up.
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@placeholder senators this week telegraphed their opposition to the minimum wage proposal, with some saying the Democratic plan was too expensive and would lead to significant job losses if businesses were forced to adopt it.
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Republican senators this week telegraphed their opposition to the minimum wage proposal, with some saying the @placeholder plan was too expensive and would lead to significant job losses if businesses were forced to adopt it.
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"I think there are a lot of @placeholder, on minimum wage even, that are concerned about its impact on the economy."
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Meanwhile, national polls suggested Republicans have an enthusiasm edge over @placeholder six months before the November vote.
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But among voters with the highest interest in the midterms, the GOP holds a 15-percentage point lead (53%-38%) over the @placeholder on the question of which party should control Congress.
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The surveys seem to back up the conventional wisdom that the @placeholder has an advantage over the Democrats in midterm contests.
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The surveys seem to back up the conventional wisdom that the GOP has an advantage over the @placeholder in midterm contests.