Chamber of Commerce Backs Democrats Pushing $15 Minimum Wage

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is endorsing 18 House Democrats who voted in favor of raising the federal minimum wage to $15, a policy the business group said would cost the country 3.7 million jobs.

The endorsements are part of a decision from the group's political advocacy committee to back a slate of 23 freshman House Democrats and 29 freshman Republicans, according to an internal memo obtained by the Hill. Of the 23 Democrats endorsed by the chamber, 18 voted in favor of the Raise the Wage Act of 2019, which would more than double the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025.

The endorsements could alienate top conservative donors and members, threatening the chamber's historical status as a Republican electoral powerhouse. The group backed just seven Democrats in 2018—compared with 191 Republicans—and has given nearly $3.1 million in direct contributions to Republicans since 2000. The chamber was also a strong proponent of the 2017 tax cuts championed by President Donald Trump, crediting the move with "unleashing a new era of growth for the American economy."