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Washington (CNN)In the end, Andrew Puzder had too much baggage — both personal and professional — to be confirmed as President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
Republicans in the Senate responded with an aggressive effort to save Puzder’s embattled nomination, leaning on well-funded business groups, the White House and Mitch McConnell, the powerful Senate majority leader.
McConnell was Puzder’s top cheerleader on Capitol Hill, sources told CNN, telling fellow senators that the nominee would be more prepared than any nominee in history to be labor secretary.
McConnell’s efforts, though, didn’t end up being enough.
The balance fully tipped against Puzder when four Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Tim Scott of South Carolina and Johnny Isakson of Georgia — told their leadership that they were withholding their support for Puzder until they get more information. The comments sent shockwaves around Washington, including in the White House, where aides tasked with shepherding Trump’s nominees through the Senate spent long nights trying to lock up Republican support.
The effort failed, and Puzder eventually began to recoil from continuing to fight.
At first, Puzder told the White House the he wanted to withdraw if they felt there was no path forward. His team then began to cancel their plans, including a grueling prep session Puzder was set to undergo on Wednesday afternoon.
After Puzder officially withdrew, the finger-pointing began in earnest, with much of the blame falling on industry groups that Republicans feel did not back up the fast food executive.
Republican sources said they were swamped by labor groups and progressive forces looking to derail Puzder, while the business community sat on the sidelines.
“There was no campaign to support him or defend him,” a source close to Puzder told CNN. “It is unfortunate that the industry did not step up to run a modern day campaign.”
Another Republican source put it more bluntly when blaming business groups: “His entire support network made one TV ad that looked like a welcome video for new Hardy’s employees. … It’s no wonder the unions eat their lunch every time out.”
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