"Jim Jordan hates to lose."

This is the phrase DC media types are using to explain why it's taking so long to elect a new Speaker of the House -- and why Jim Jordan is adamant about sticking it out until the bitter end. They point to Jordan's previous life as a wrestling coach as proof that he's a brawler who will do what it takes to win. 

Whether or not that's the best strategy right now for the House or the GOP remains to be seen.

What is clear is this: Jordan is well short of the 217 votes he needs to wield the speaker's gavel. He garnered 200 votes on the first ballot, but that number dropped to 199 in the second round. 

With things headed in the wrong direction, members from both sides of the aisle began rallying around the idea of empowering Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry to take charge:

Jordan's lack of success on the second ballot could bolster the push to have Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry take on additional responsibilities to oversee the passage of legislation, especially bills related to government funding and the tensions in the Middle East.

The GOP House conference was scheduled to meet on Thursday at 11 a.m. to discuss the next steps. Early reports are that Jordan will get behind the plan to make McHenry the temporary leader of the House:

NEWS: Jordan is going to announce he will NOT hold a third vote as speaker now.

He will get behind the plan to temporarily empower McHenry until Jan 3.

He will remain speaker designee.

— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) October 19, 2023

Sources have confirmed to RedState that McHenry is poised to assume the role in a limited capacity, largely focusing on appropriations and foreign aid.

Incidentally, Patrick McHenry seems to be getting a lot of love from the DC press, with one outlet lauding him as the "House speaker that crypto needs." He could apparently serve as a counterbalance to Elizabeth Warren, "a crypto skeptic who yesterday tied the asset class to money laundering by Hamas."

Not all House Republicans, however, support the elevation of McHenry, with Matt Gaetz reportedly saying he doesn't like the idea of “Speaker light and Bud Light" and Chip Roy railing, “We should do our job and select a Speaker. The Constitution says that. So any move to do otherwise is contrary to the Constitution and would do enormous damage to not just the Republican Party, but the House of Representatives, and I violently oppose any effort to do that on the floor of the House.”

Jordan has said in the past that he's willing to go as many rounds as it takes to sew up the speakership. Kevin McCarthy endured 15 rounds of voting before being elected speaker this past January, which is beginning to look like child's play compared to Jordan's uphill climb.

As speaker designee, Jordan can call a vote at any time, but it looks likely the next ballot for the official gavel won't be until January of 2024.