Andrew Puzder had not even officially withdrawn his nomination to be President Trump’s labor secretary Wednesday when critics of the bid exulted in the news that he was pulling out.

Puzder, the chief executive of CKE Restaurants, which owns the Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. franchises and is an outspoken conservative, had long been a controversial pick for the Cabinet post. He was opposed by many Democrats and liberal groups, particularly organized labor. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told the White House Wednesday afternoon that Puzder did not have enough Republican votes for confirmation, according to the Washington Post. His first Senate confirmation hearing, which had been delayed four times, was scheduled for Thursday morning.