Facing steep Democratic opposition and wavering support from Republicans, fast-food executive Andrew Puzder has withdrawn himself from consideration for the post of labor secretary only a day before his scheduled confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill.

Puzder, the CEO of CKE Restaurants Inc. who President Donald Trump tapped to head the Labor Department, said in a statement Wednesday he was "honored to have been considered" for the position but decided he ultimately "won't be serving in the administration."

"After careful consideration and discussions with my family, I am withdrawing my nomination for Secretary of Labor," Puzder said, indicating he "fully support[s] the president and his highly qualified team."

The announcement comes only a day before Puzder was scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for his confirmation hearing. That appointment had been rescheduled on multiple occasions because government ethics officials had not received financial paperwork from the fast-food executive.

It also comes shortly after a court in Missouri's St. Louis County unsealed portions of Puzder's 1980s divorce proceedings, in which his ex-wife, Lisa Fierstein, said he had "physically assaulted" her and "inflicted serious bodily injuries."

Video also leaked this week of Fierstein's undercover appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 1990. Wearing glasses and a wig and going by the name "Ann," Fierstein said her ex-husband "vowed revenge" against her.

Fierstein later retracted those allegations, and Puzder has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. A spokesman for Puzder did not immediately return a request for comment.

Puzder was still believed to have the support of most Republican senators on Wednesday, but reports surfaced that at least four and as many as 12 GOP lawmakers were likely to vote against his confirmation. Because Republicans hold 52 seats in the Senate, only three would have had to defect to derail Puzder's appointment.

"I am glad Mr. Puzder will withdraw his name from consideration to be the next labor secretary," Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in a statement Wednesday. "We don't need a labor secretary who makes millions while his workers are paid starvation wages."

News of Puzder's withdrawal was met warmly by progressives and left-leaning advocacy groups, who have criticized him for his stances on minimum wage increases and automation. Heidi Shierholz, a senior economist and director of policy at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, said in a statement Wednesday that Puzder's withdrawal was "welcome news for working people."