Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) had previously told the Biden administration and Senate Democrats that he was not supportive of the nominee. Other centrist Democratic senators, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana, had also remained noncommittal on the pick. Chipman’s failed nomination, the second significant decide Biden has experienced to withdraw for the duration of his 8 months in place of work, highlights Congress’ ongoing paralysis on gun manage following several years of largely unsuccessful endeavours at bipartisan reform.

During his affirmation listening to, Senate Republicans pressed Chipman over a recent interview in which he mentioned new gun house owners who have no education must only bring their guns out “if the zombies start to show up.” The nominee responded that the comments have been “self-deprecating.”

The committee deadlocked on the nomination along get together lines, which would have compelled the Senate to vote to discharge him.

Adhering to information of his withdrawal, Chipman acknowledged that he “knew this confirmation method would be hard.

“While ultimately we weren’t profitable, it continues to be necessary that ATF is led by a confirmed Director who is accountable to the general public and spots no unique pursuits before the protection of our small children and our communities,” he explained.

GOP senators cheered information of Chipman’s unsuccessful nomination. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the major Republican on the Judiciary Committee, issued a assertion criticizing Chipman’s “long file as a partisan, anti-Next Amendment activist.”

Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Sick.) mentioned in a assertion explained that Chipman was “the hottest target” of gun rights teams who are “determined to depart the Director’s place vacant” and known as on the Biden administration to send out another ATF nominee to the Senate “as soon as possible.”

Chipman isn’t the only high profile White Residence nominee to be withdrawn amid opposition from associates of the Democratic caucus. Neera Tanden, Biden’s first choose to guide the White Dwelling Office of Management and Price range, withdrew in March amid opposition from Manchin and all 50 Senate Republicans.

Tanden finally joined the White Home in a non-Senate-verified ability as a senior adviser, however, and Chipman may well also come across a route into the Biden administration. A source near to Chipman explained that the Justice Division available him a placement but that he turned it down.

Even so, the choice to pull the nomination sparked frustration from gun command advocate Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was killed in the 2018 school capturing in Parkland, Fla. “I am truly upset,” tweeted Guttenberg, a Biden ally. “We have weak persons serving the Senate this kind of as @SenAngusKing who chose to hear to ‘regulated business.’ Regrettably the White Property failed to set up a struggle on this.”

The Senate has confirmed only one particular ATF nominee: B. Todd Jones in 2013.

Anita Kumar contributed to this report.