WASHINGTON — Now that he’s not running for president, Mitt Romney is fighting for the “47 percent” — unexpectedly pitching a hike in the minimum wage.

In doing so, Romney sided with President Obama over Senate Republicans who are blocking the wage- hike plan.

“I think we ought to raise it because, frankly, our party is all about more jobs and better pay, and I think communicating that is important to us,” Romney said Friday on MSNBC, adding
the GOP has to do a better job connecting with minority voters.

Obama is pushing to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour from $7.25.