Republicans and conservatives are taking a victory lap on social media after Senate Democrats failed at the last minute on Wednesday to retain control of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) after holding a vote to end debate over reappointment the chairman of the committee, Lauren McFerran, narrowly lost.

Outgoing Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had hoped to confirm McFerran, a President Biden nominee, to a new five-year term that would have given Democrats control of the powerful agency until at least 2026, but the vote failed 50 to 49. Independent Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona voted against it.

The vote, which conservatives had railed against for days by arguing that President-elect Trump should decide the election after his victory in November, was celebrated by conservatives.

“Working Americans just won a huge victory for President Trump and his pro-worker policies. “So why on earth should we allow Biden to pick more NLRB nominees?” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital in a statement. “I’m glad we didn’t, and I look forward to working with President Trump to support policies and candidates that are good for working families and all Americans.”

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“Lauren McFerran’s abysmal record leading the Biden-Harris NLRB includes undermining freelancers, breaking up companies of all sizes, and authorizing vulgar union harassment of American workers,” said Tom Hebert, director of competition and regulatory policy at Americans for Tax Reform , told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“Chuck Schumer tried to bring the Trump-Vance NLRB under Democratic control by sneaking McFerran’s reappointment through the Senate and counting on Republican absences. Luckily for American workers and businesses, Republicans showed up and blocked Schumer’s plan, ensuring that the Trump-Vance NLRB would be controlled.” Pro-worker Republicans instead of anti-worker Democrats.

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“I am glad that the Senate rejected Democrats’ partisan attempt to deny President Trump the ability to choose his own NLRB nominees and pursue a pro-American, pro-worker agenda with the mandate he has from the American people pass,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., released on X.

“Excellent work @SenateGOP and free thinkers @SenatorSinema and @Sen_JoeManchin!” Carrie Sheffield, senior policy analyst at Independent Women’s Voice, posted

One point of frustration for Republicans was this Bernie Sanders, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee rejected a request from Cassidy to hold a public hearing on McFerran before moving it forward. McFerran’s nomination has been awaiting consideration since August.

In 2021, McFerran’s NLRB ordered Tesla to order Musk to delete a tweet that they said was damaging to unionization efforts at Tesla finally overturned from the US Court of Appeals.

“The current administration is doing everything it can to prevent government efficiency, but @DOGE is inevitable,” Tesla and Space CEO Elon Musk posted

Unlike most similar agencies, members of the NLRB cannot be removed at will by the President due to political agendas or a change in administration.

“Any board member may be removed by the President after notice and hearing for neglect of duty or misconduct in office, but for no other reason,” the NLRB website says.

In response to the McFerran vote, Democrats withdrew the cloture vote for Republican NLRB nominee Joshua Ditelberg, giving Trump the opportunity to fill two seats if nothing changes before Inauguration Day.

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Schumer filed objections to McFerran’s nomination on Monday and set up a vote for Wednesday. In his remarks, the New York Democrat did not acknowledge the lame-duck nature of the vote, telling his colleagues: “If you really care about working families, if you care about eliminating income inequality in America, then you should be for it.” .” If you promote today’s NLRB candidates, you can’t say you’re pro working families and then vote “no” today because the NLRB protects workers from workplace mistreatment and abuse excessive employers.”

In a statement after the vote, Schumer said: “It is deeply disappointing, a direct attack on working people, and incredibly disturbing that this highly qualified candidate – with a proven track record of protecting workers’ rights – did not command the votes.”

Fox News Digital’s Julia Johnson contributed to this report.