The Senate on Wednesday rejected President Obama’s controversial pick to head the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, as seven Democrats bucked their party’s leadership and joined Republicans in opposing the nomination of Debo Adegbile.

A procedural vote to advance Adegbile’s nomination fell two votes short, despite a contentious move in November by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to change the chamber’s rules to make it easier to overcome Republican filibusters and confirm White House nominations.