The last thing you want to see as head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives–otherwise known as either BATFE or just the ATF–is a gun grabber. Part of the duties for the ATF is to make determinations of what is legal and what isn’t and chief that favors gun control could well interpret things far less liberally than someone who favors gun rights.

Among other things.

The Republican-controlled Senate knows this and knows that confirming such a person would likely force them to have to answer some tough questions when they get back home. That’s probably why President Trump’s pick to head the ATF is likely never going to be confirmed.

Chuck Canterbury, President Trump’s nominee to serve as head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, is likely to see his nomination withdrawn due to stringent opposition from Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Washington Free Beacon learned on Thursday.

“Chuck Canterbury does NOT have sufficient support in the Judiciary Committee and is now expected to be held up instead of getting a vote today,” a GOP Senate aide told the Free Beacon on Thursday morning. “Republican members are (1) Concerned about his stances on gun control, and (2) there is still some bad blood for him flipping the Fraternal Order of Police in support of the First Step Act (after opposing the more moderate version), allegedly in exchange for the ATF Director nomination.”

“His 2A views are bad and he’d lose a lot of votes in committee,” a second Senate source told the Free Beacon. “We expect the White House will pull him given lack of support from Republicans on the Judiciary Committee.”

At least one Republican senator, Utah’s Mike Lee, seemed to agree with this assessment when reached for comment.

“Sen. Lee has concerns about Canterbury’s Second Amendment views and is pleased the markup has been delayed,” Lee’s office told the Free Beacon.

Canterbury, who served as the president of the national Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), was expected to receive a vote out of committee Thursday morning. But his nomination was blocked by conservative Republicans who voiced concerns about his stances on gun control.

Canterbury brought this on himself though.

Earlier this year, he was evasive in his answers before the Senate about his stances on gun control and the Second Amendment. Since the FOP positions are the only ones we ever say Canterbury advance and he refused to take different positions, it doesn’t make for a joyful combination or him a nominee which brings joy, so it looks like he’s getting the Marie Kondo treatment.

Which is fine.

What the ATF needs is a staunch defender of the Second Amendment. Someone who we can trust to protect our Second Amendment rights while serving in that role.

I hear this guy might be good at the job.

I’m ready to serve. 😛 https://t.co/sRDguyJ5Dw

— Cam Edwards (@CamEdwards) September 26, 2019

I’d hate to lose him here, but he’d get my vote.

Seriously, though, I have no doubt there are plenty of other candidates out there who we could trust far more than Canterbury. It’s time that his nomination is dropped and someone else be selected from this pool of qualified and rational candidates.