Like I said the GOP will always struggle to get a majority even with the left so weak, feckless and off the rails. The min wage issue is just one example of GOP ham handed tone deaf politics. The GOP "base" is about 8 million small businessmen owners, Libertarians, corporate globalist elites and Wall Street. I'd estimate it is about 10 million strong. The rest of the people that vote for GOP candidates hold their nose while doing so.
The GOP struggles still, why?
Let's get back to the point. You can extol the lack of morality and virtue of Republicans at another time. When it's relevant to the discussion.
Where in the Constitution (a document which LIMITS the power of government) do you see the right to force one person to pay more than he desires for a product? Your labor, be it mental or physical, is the product you are selling to an employer as a potential employee.