There doesn't seem to be a lot of "Jim-mentum" going into today's second vote for Speaker of the House.

As we reported yesterday, Jim Jordan fell short of the 217 votes needed to secure the speaker's gavel, with 20 members of the GOP conference peeling off and casting their votes for other Republicans. Former speaker Kevin McCarthy received a few votes, as did Steve Scalise, who dropped out of the speaker's race last week, but now doesn't seem inclined to help Jordan get the votes needed to win.

Some of the anti-Jordan faction of the House GOP made their feelings abundantly clear following yesterday's vote. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN), who is not running for reelection and is perhaps feeling free to stir up some chaos, tweeted this after casting her vote for Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY):

Jordan has to be held to the same standard as McCarthy and Scalise were - we cannot be hypocrites and allow tyranny.
J
It was disrespectful of Jim to force members to a floor vote leading to attacks by our base without conference deliberation first and also not wise in a tight…

— Rep. Victoria Spartz (@RepSpartz) October 17, 2023

Jordan and his allies spent yesterday afternoon and evening attempting to sway the dissenters to his side, but with fierce opposition from conference members like Spartz -- and the unwillingness of leaders like Scalise to help him -- it's an uphill battle to reach the 217 votes.

Then there are the GOPers who voted for Jordan yesterday, but may be inclined to switch things up on the second ballot:

We’re watching the following lawmakers who may abandon Jordan: GOP Reps. David Joyce (Ohio), Ann Wagner (Mo.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa), Beth Van Duyne (Texas) and Drew Ferguson (Ga.). There were a few surprises in the vote Tuesday, so we expect more of that today.

Jordan did pick up one vote overnight, with Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-NY) throwing his support behind the Ohio Republican. And Jordan ally Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), who missed yesterday's vote, will be in the chamber today for the second ballot. But, again, that 217 number doesn't seem to be within reach for Jordan.

Jordan's team has indicated that he's willing to go through as many ballots as it takes to seal the deal. It took 15 rounds of voting back in January for McCarthy to finally be elected speaker, but the GOP conference emerged from that fight battered and bruised. So battered and bruised, in fact, that here we are -- a mere nine months later -- in yet another fractured, ugly fight.

Where does that leave House Republicans in need of a leader? A few names are being bandied about, including Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN):

There’s talk about House Majority Whip Tom Emmer making a run at the speakership. But frankly, if you’re Emmer, why get in a speaker race you are likely to lose with a conference this divided?

Other potential “consensus” candidates have been suggested as well. Reps. Mike Johnson (R-La.), Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and others have been floated. Some GOP lawmakers want to survey the Republican Conference and see if they can come up with some potential choices.

But no Republican is getting 217 votes for speaker at this point. And why run for the mayor of a city that’s just been nuked?

Nuked indeed.

With House Republicans failing to coalesce behind one speaker candidate -- and with the House itself going into week three without a leader -- some are suggesting an unusual solution: empowering Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC) to oversee the passage of legislation as soon as today.

Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio), the chair of the moderate Republican Governance Group, plans to introduce the measure, a House Republican and another source familiar with the effort confirmed to Axios.

Joyce plans to try to introduce a privileged motion, which would force the House to vote on the resolution within two legislative days, if Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) fails to win the speaker vote on the second ballot.

But the plan is dependent on McHenry recognizing Joyce on the House floor – which is not a guaranteed outcome.

McHenry, who was appointed Pro Tempore by Kevin McCarthy, has one job: to oversee the election of the next speaker. But even he, who passed on a leadership role in this Congress in order to oversee the House Financial Services Committee, admits: "After two weeks without a Speaker of the House and no clear candidate with 217 votes in the Republican conference, it is time to look at other viable options."

The full House convenes today at 11a ET.