ST. PAUL — Several hundred people rallied at Minnesota’s Capitol in favor of an increase in the minimum wage.

House Speaker Paul Thissen said at the Raise the Wage Coalition rally that hiking the state’s minimum hourly pay requirement is probably Democrats’ top priority as a new session gets underway.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk has been more hesitant to back House Democrats and Gov. Mark Dayton’s wish to boost the wage to $9.50 by 2015. But Bakk softened his position at the rally. He now says he believes Senate Democrats will sign on to $9.50, but that it might not get all the way to that level next year but rather phased in more slowly.

Republicans warn a minimum wage increase could make businesses cut jobs.