Democrats are vowing to make the minimum wage a midterm issue and will start by making a push to raise it once Congress is back in session this month.
But Republicans don't support another increase, which was last raised four years ago to $7.25 an hour. (It was raised twice in the last two years of former President George W. Bush's presidency, the first increase in a decade.)
President Obama backs an increase to $10.10 an hour, which would still be below the adjusted-for-inflation high of $10.74 in 1968.
So why don't GOP elected officials support an increase in a wage that when factored out to full-time work equals just $15,000 a year? Aside from ideological/values opposition, the Republican base also does not support it.
The December NBC/WSJ poll found that while there is little support for raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and mixed support for raising it to $12.50, Americans are broadly in favor of an increase to $10.10. Overall, nearly two-thirds (63%/36%) would support such a hike, which would still only be an annual salary of roughly $21,000.
But a majority of Tea Party supporters and Republicans do not; 55% of Tea Party supporters are against it, while Republicans overall are more closely split with 50% against and 47% in favor.
Full crosstabs below:
Support for raising the minimum wage to…
$15.00 $12.50 $10.10
Tea Party 10/89 23/77 45/55
Republican 14/85 25/74 47/50
Democrat 42/57 59/39 77/22
Men 23/76 37/62 56/43
Women 34/64 48/50 68/30
White wom 30/68 45/53 64/33
White 24/74 39/59 59/40
Black 43/57 62/37 82/18
Hispanic 39/66 49/49 73/26
18-34 33/66 47/52 67/33
35-49 25/74 40/58 63/36
50-64 28/70 43/56 62/37
65+ 27/70 39/57 55/42
Urban 33/65 48/49 66/32
Suburban 26/73 40/59 60/40
Rural 29/70 40/58 62/36
Education
HS or less 31/67 46/52 65/33
Some coll 29/70 45/53 69/30
Coll grad 25/75 37/63 60/40
Post grad 28/70 42/56 59/39