Majority Leader Harry Reid Harry Mason ReidGraham signals support for confirming a Supreme Court nominee this year Trump signals he will move to replace Ginsburg 'without delay' Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden MORE (D-Nev.) is struggling to stop Senate Democrats from backing a plan to undercut President Obama’s $10.10 minimum wage target.

Sen. Susan Collins Susan Margaret CollinsJeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally Momentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day MORE (R-Maine) has been reaching out to Democrats to agree on a compromise that is threatening to divide the president’s party on this core component of its election-year message.

ADVERTISEMENT

Democrats already disagree among themselves over whether they should continue to stick to the $10.10 amount or try to work with Republicans on a lower figure.

A senior Democratic leadership aide said Reid is a “hardcore” supporter of Obama’s target number, to be achieved over three years, a proposal strongly supported by labor unions, which are powerful in the majority leader’s state.

But several Democratic senators have signaled they are willing to negotiate a lower wage floor that would be easier to get enough Senate votes to pass.

Now, despite his staunch personal preference for $10.10, Reid’s office doesn’t rule out compromise depending on feeling within his caucus.

“Sen. Collins is talking with colleagues on both sides of the aisle about a possible alternative that could raise the wage by a reasonable amount and avoid the loss of the 500,000 jobs that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates could result from raising the minimum wage too quickly and by too large an amount,” said Kevin Kelley, a spokesman for Collins.

Kelley said the package could include tax incentives to encourage small businesses to hire workers. Collins, a centrist, is up for reelection this year.

Sen. Angus King Angus KingShakespeare Theatre Company goes virtual for 'Will on the Hill...or Won't They?' On The Trail: How Nancy Pelosi could improbably become president Angus King: Ending election security briefings 'looks like a pre-cover-up' MORE (Maine), an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said he would vote for the measure to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour but declared he would not be satisfied with a vote merely for show; he wants legislation that could pass.

“My only real concern is that we come out of here with something,” he said.

Sen. Mark Warner Mark Robert WarnerIntelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Overnight Defense: Trump hosts Israel, UAE, Bahrain for historic signing l Air Force reveals it secretly built and flew new fighter jet l Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' House approves bill to secure internet-connected federal devices against cyber threats MORE (D-Va.), a GOP target this year, also indicated a willingness to do a deal.

Even if senators agree and pass a bipartisan package, the GOP-led House is unlikely to follow suit. With Republicans well placed to win the Senate, some Democrats see a wage hike vote as a useful weapon on the campaign trail. A compromise deal could let GOP senators and candidates off the hook. But a deal could also shield centrist Democrats from GOP and industry attacks.

Sen. Tom Carper Thomas (Tom) Richard CarperDemocrat asks for probe of EPA's use of politically appointed lawyers Overnight Energy: Study links coronavirus mortality to air pollution exposure | Low-income, minority households pay more for utilities: report OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats push resolution to battle climate change, sluggish economy and racial injustice | Senators reach compromise on greenhouse gas amendment stalling energy bill | Trump courts Florida voters with offshore drilling moratorium MORE (D-Del.) worries that, if Senate Democrats refuse to compromise at below $10.10, no bill will get through.

“The president had, I thought, a very good proposal last year, $9 and indexed [to inflation],” he said.

The minimum wage is now $7.25 an hour and is not indexed to inflation. Liberal Democrats, most notably Sen. Tom Harkin Thomas (Tom) Richard HarkinThe Memo: Trump attacks on Harris risk backfiring Ernst challenges Greenfield to six debates in Iowa Senate race Biden unveils disability rights plan: 'Your voices must be heard' MORE (Iowa), persuaded the White House to embrace $10.10, after Obama initially proposed lifting the rate to $9 an hour.

Labor unions have panned a possible compromise.

“There’s no justification for it, other than to appease senators who don’t necessarily support the minimum wage,” said a senior labor official. “Looking to shave off part of it for political expediency doesn’t make any sense for people who work 40 hours a week and will continue to be in poverty if you lower it below $10.10.”

The CBO estimated raising the minimum wage to $9 an hour would likely cost 100,000 jobs, significantly below the 500,000 jobs it warned might be lost by raising it to $10.10.

Collins is stressing that point.

“The bottom line is — Sen. Collins is looking for a common-sense solution that would help struggling families and not force employers to eliminate jobs, rather than add them,” said Kelley, Collins’s spokesman.

The majority of the Democratic caucus favors $10.10, but no Senate Republican has publicly endorsed it. Of the 55 senators who caucus with the Democrats, 37 have co-sponsored Harkin’s wage bill. Democrats who have not signed on include Sens. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Gardner on court vacancy: Country needs to mourn Ginsburg 'before the politics begin' Barrett seen as a front-runner for Trump Supreme Court pick MORE (W.Va.), Mary Landrieu Mary Loretta LandrieuBottom line A decade of making a difference: Senate Caucus on Foster Youth Congress needs to work to combat the poverty, abuse and neglect issues that children face MORE (La.), John Walsh (Mont.), Jeanne Shaheen Cynthia (Jeanne) Jeanne ShaheenSenate Democrats introduce bill to sanction Russians over Taliban bounties Trump-backed candidate wins NH GOP Senate primary to take on Shaheen Democratic senator urges Trump to respond to Russian aggression MORE (N.H.) and Mark Udall Mark Emery UdallThe 10 Senate seats most likely to flip Democratic presidential race comes into sharp focus Democrats will win back the Senate majority in 2020, all thanks to President Trump MORE (Colo.).

Sen. Mark Pryor Mark Lunsford PryorCoronavirus poses risks for Trump in 2020 Tom Cotton's only Democratic rival quits race in Arkansas Medicaid rollback looms for GOP senators in 2020 MORE (Ark.), the chamber’s most vulnerable incumbent, is the only Democrat who has said he flat out opposes a raise to $10.10. He instead supports a local initiative to raise Arkansas’s minimum wage to $8.50 an hour over the next three years.

“This hasn’t been an issue in our race because it’s one of the rare issues where Sen. Pryor and Tom agree,” said David Ray, a spokesman for Rep. Tom Cotton Tom Bryant CottonRenewed focus on Trump's Supreme Court list after Ginsburg's death Republicans call for DOJ to prosecute Netflix executives for releasing 'Cuties' Loeffler calls for hearing in wake of Netflix's 'Cuties' MORE (R-Ark.), who is challenging Pryor. “A $10.10 minimum wage imposed by Washington is bad for Arkansas workers and businesses. It would hurt the very people we’re trying to help.”

Democratic senators, liberal groups and labor unions lobbying for the minimum wage hike say the vote on proceeding to the measure is likely to be delayed until next week. Reid’s office says that would be the result of Republicans slowing down the unemployment benefits bill, not because of internal Democratic dissent.

Democratic leadership aides, however, say there is little chance of reaching a compromise to raise the minimum wage to something between $7.25 and $10.10, unless Collins shows she could bring along other Republicans.

Democratic aides say Collins would have far less leverage to negotiate a minimum wage deal if Republicans block the vote on proceeding to legislation raising it to $10.10.

“Reid’s not going to have any trouble holding the line if it’s just a failed cloture vote and we move on,” said the senior Democratic leadership aide.

Her most likely allies are Republican senators who helped to negotiate a bipartisan deal to extend unemployment benefits, including Sens. Dean Heller Dean Arthur HellerOn The Trail: Democrats plan to hammer Trump on Social Security, Medicare Lobbying World Democrats spend big to put Senate in play MORE (Nev.), Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann MurkowskiMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Collins: President elected Nov. 3 should fill Supreme Court vacancy Barrett seen as a front-runner for Trump Supreme Court pick MORE (Alaska), Kelly Ayotte Kelly Ann AyotteBottom line Bottom line Bottom Line MORE (N.H.) and Mark Kirk Mark Steven KirkLiberal veterans group urges Biden to name Duckworth VP On the Trail: Senate GOP hopefuls tie themselves to Trump Biden campaign releases video to explain 'what really happened in Ukraine' MORE (Ill.).

There is no chance that Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Trump expects to nominate woman to replace Ginsburg next week Video of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral MORE (Ky.) will agree to a compromise. He has warned that raising the minimum wage by any amount could kill jobs.

“We need to focus on jobs and will cite the CBO’s study saying raising it will cost 500,000 jobs,” said a GOP leadership aide.

While Collins is expected to cruise to victory this fall, Maine has trended more Democratic in recent years. Collins vented her frustration with McConnell last year, after he lobbied Republican senators to kill a bipartisan deal she crafted on the transportation spending bill for fiscal 2014.

“This is so absurd,” Collins fumed in August, after GOP leaders sank the measure. She grumbled that McConnell had never worked so hard against a member of his own party.