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
@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.