(AP) — Minimum-wage increase proposals are getting the maximum push from Democrats in more than half of U.S. states, highlighting the politically potent income inequality issue this year.

A national review by The Associated Press finds that lawmakers in at least 30 states are sponsoring or are expected to introduce wage hike measures. They hope to notch state-level victories as President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats remain stymied in attempts to raise federal minimum wage. The president is expected to mention minimum wage in his State of the Union address Tuesday.

Even in Republican-dominated capitals where the bills are longshots, the measures still give Democrats a chance to hammer home the popular theme of fair wages in what is an election year in most places.