Senate Democrats cheered Puzder’s announcement, arguing they had finally been able to pressure Republicans into blocking one of Trump’s Cabinet nominees.
“Andrew Puzder’s withdrawal as Labor Secretary is a victory for the American worker,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement. “Puzder should never have even been nominated to lead the Labor Department and Senate Republicans clearly recognized this too.”
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called Puzder’s withdraw “just desserts.”
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) added that Puzder was one of the most ‘ill-suited” nominees to lead the Labor Department and that “enough Republican realized this to force an end to his nomination.”
Though top Republicans remained bullish this week about his chances, Puzder faced an increasingly uphill climb to clear get the 50 votes needed to clear the Senate amid allegations that he physically abused his ex-wife and hired an illegal immigrant as a housekeeper.
Progressives wasted little time Wednesday seizing on a CNN report that up to 12 Republicans could oppose Puzder if he was allowed to come to the Senate floor.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who also blasted Puzder from the Senate floor, argued that Puzder should “get out of the kitchen” if he couldn’t withstand congressional scrutiny.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) separately said he was “glad” about reports that Puzder would withdraw his nomination.
“The simple truth is that given his relationship to employees at the companies he runs, he was not fit to lead a department responsible for defending workers’ rights,” the Democratic socialist and former presidential candidate said.
Democrats including last year’s vice presidential nominee are pushing Trump to pick someone who would advocate for policies that would be friendlier to American workers.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said he hopes that Trump “takes advantage of this opportunity to nominate someone who will work for workers, rather than against them.”
“[Trump] needs to pick Labor Sec. nom who will champion American workers,” Sen. Al Franken said separately.
GOP division over Puzder appeared to hand Democrats their first victory in the weeks-long nominations fight.
A growing number of Republicans said Wednesday that they remained on the fence about his nomination over reports that he once hired, and failed to pay taxes on, an undocumented immigrant.
Despite fierce opposition, however, Democrats weren’t able to block other top targets, including Education Secretary Betsy DeVos or Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Democrats don’t have the man power to block any of Trump’s nominees on their own. Under a 2013 decision by then-Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Democrats lowered the threshold for executive nominees to a simple majority.
Puzder’s withdrawal comes days after Michael Flynn stepped down as national security advisor. Democrats quickly tried to argue Puzder’s decision was the latest misstep for the not-yet-month-old administration.
DNC Interim Chairwoman Donna Brazile called Puzder’s withdrawal “another massive blow to President Trump’s disastrous administration, which is already mired in scandal and ineptitude.”
“The allegations that he physically assaulted his ex-wife fit a pattern of misogyny and abuse that runs throughout this White House — from the president down,” she said.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) added separately that Puzder’s decision is “the latest example of President Trump’s disastrous judgement.”
“[It’s] a powerful sign of Americans’ growing mobilization against the Republican agenda,” she said.
