WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a top legislative and political priority of Democrats, a bill to increase the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.

The measure failed to gain enough support in a procedural vote to open debate. In framing the issue ahead of November's midterm elections, Democrats have portrayed the GOP as insensitive to the needs of low-wage workers. Polls show a strong majority of Americans surveyed back raising the minimum wage, which currently stands at $7.25.

Even if the Senate had moved ahead with the legislation, there was little chance the House, which is led by Republicans, would have taken it up.

Still, Democrats are vowing to return to the issue, which would boost the wage over time. "This is an uphill fight, but it isn't over yet," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren after the vote.

The final vote count was 54 to 42, with Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), who supports the legislation, taking the procedural step of voting against the bill so that he can reintroduce it at a later time. However, it remains unclear when — if at all — they will reintroduce it and whether they have any path toward winning approval this year.