David Chipman’s nomination to serve as director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives had been languishing for months in the Senate, where Democrats knew he lacked the votes within their own party to win confirmation.

Finally, this past week, the Biden administration pulled the plug on Chipman. Now, the president will have to come up with a new nominee who can defy the odds and win Senate approval to head one of the most divisive agencies in the federal government.