Pawlenty: GOP should back wage increase

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-Minn.) said Wednesday that Republicans should support a reasonable increase in the minimum wage.

“If you’re going to talk the talk about being for the middle class and the working person if we have a minimum wage, it should be reasonably adjusted from time to time,” he said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

Republicans frequently talk about how they support blue-collar workers and the working person, Pawlenty added, which he said means they should support an increase in the minimum wage.

{mosads}This comes as the Senate gears up to vote on a bill Wednesday that would increase the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour from $7.25. 

Senate Republicans are expected to reject the measure, which President Obama and Democratic lawmakers have been pushing. 

The legislation is expected to receive fewer than the 60 votes needed to advance it on a procedural roll call.  

Republicans have opposed the hike, which many lawmakers have said would be too high.

A report released in February by the Congressional Budget Office also warned the increase could lead to job losses. 

Obama, meanwhile, will deliver a speech Wednesday on the minimum wage.