Democratic Senator Mark Pryor, whose home state of Arkansas is headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), says he will oppose raising the minimum wage.
Pryor is the first Senate Democrat to come out against raising the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour.
Bloomberg news notes that the National Retail Federation and the National Restaurant Association are lobbying against the increase and have contributed to Pryor's campaign.
Arkansas is one of four states, including Minnesota, with a minimum wage below the federal level.