Economists nationwide oppose Democrats’ efforts to raise the federal minimum wage to $15, saying it would increase inflation and hurt small businesses, according to a survey provided exclusively to the Washington Free Beacon.

Eighty-one percent of economists said a $15 minimum wage would have a “negative impact” on businesses with fewer than 50 employees, while 58 percent said it would contribute to record-high inflation, according to the survey conducted by the Employment Policies Institute. Of the 160 economists polled, 62 percent said they oppose a $15 federal minimum wage.

President Joe Biden in 2020 campaigned on the minimum wage hike, saying it would provide American workers the “dignity they deserve.” Democratic leadership attempted to slip a $15 minimum wage into pandemic relief legislation last year but failed in the Senate after eight Democrats joined Republicans in opposition.