After a tumultuous week of voting and internal strife, hardline conservative Republican Jim Jordan's hopes of becoming speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives have been dashed. Jordan's fellow Republicans revoked their support after a third failed vote on the House floor, leaving the chamber leaderless and unable to respond to President Joe Biden's request for aid to Ukraine and Israel. Opposition to Jordan's candidacy from within his own party steadily grew throughout the week.

In the final round of balloting, 25 Republican lawmakers voted against him, well over the 22 who opposed him in the previous round. Jordan fell far short of the necessary 214 votes to claim the speaker's gavel. In a closed-door meeting, Republicans voted to revoke his nomination. Now entering its third week without a leader, the House cannot take action on President Biden's $106 billion national-security package, which includes provisions to bolster U.S. border security and provide aid to Israel and Ukraine.

The Republican majority has been unable to unite behind Jordan or any other candidate to replace former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted earlier this month. Jordan's bare-knuckle approach and his role in former President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election have contributed to opposition within his party. Some Republican opponents of Jordan have faced harassing phone calls and death threats, but his allies argue that such issues are not unique to him or other members of Congress.

Democrats unanimously voted against Jordan, describing him as a dangerous extremist with a record that attacks the freedom and rights of the American people. It remains uncertain whether Republicans will be able to unite behind an alternative candidate if Jordan drops out. Republicans are also divided on a backup plan that would give more authority to Republican Representative Patrick McHenry, who is currently filling the temporary role of speaker.

House Democrats and the White House have expressed openness to this plan, but Republicans rejected it on Thursday. President Biden addressed the Republican turmoil in a televised speech, urging them to put aside partisan politics and fulfill their responsibilities as a great nation. The ongoing uncertainty in Congress is also contributing to market volatility, according to investors.

Jordan has built a reputation as a leader of the uncompromising right flank within the Republican party. His supporters view this as an asset, as they believe he would be an effective fighter for conservative policies in a political landscape currently dominated by Democrats. With the House still lacking a leader, Republicans plan to hold another candidate forum on Monday and aim to hold a floor vote on Tuesday morning to elect a new speaker.