Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson believes that the $7.25 federal minimum wage should be raised, becoming the only GOP candidate to support a federal wage hike.
“I think, probably, it should be higher than now,” Carson told CNBC’s John Harwood in an interview Friday.
Carson’s reasoning is that right now government assistance often provides more than the minimum wage, so many people choose to turn to welfare programs instead of a job. However, he cautioned that people should look at more than just the money.
“I don’t necessarily blame people for saying, ‘Look, I can stay home and make this money, or I can go and work this little chicken job that doesn’t have many benefits,’ ” he said.
“However, recognize that if you go and take that chicken job, you gain skills, relationships, the possibility of moving up the ladder. So a year or two or five down the road, you’re no longer in that position. This is what people have forgotten.”
Carson is the only Republican presidential candidate to come out in support of increasing the federal minimum wage.
Fellow GOP contenders Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee and Sens. Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio do not support a wage hike. Likely contenders Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker don’t back an increase either, according to The Hill.
Democrats have made increasing the minimum wage a major issue over the past several years and there have been localized movements to raise the wage around the country.
