Representative Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) is expected to back a plan to expand the powers of the interim speaker of the House until January, rather than putting his name up in a floor vote for speaker for the third time after failing to secure the speaker’s gavel in the second vote Wednesday.

The plan to temporarily empower speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) to preside over the chamber, which was confirmed by multiple outlets Thursday afternoon, would allow the House to move resolutions related to the war in Israel and attend to other business while giving Republicans more time to unify around a long-term successor to Kevin McCarthy.

The position of speaker pro tempore was created after the attacks of September, 11 2001 to ensure continuity of government and the lawmaker who holds the title is technically limited to presiding over the selection of the next speaker. It’s unclear whether McHenry’s expanded role would pass constitutional muster given that it is historically unprecedented.

While he is not expected to seek another floor vote on Thursday given his lack of support within the caucus, Jordan is expected continue in his attempts whip support for the position as McHenry presides over the House in the coming months, sources told NBC News and CNBC.

On Tuesday, Jordan lost a first bid to become speaker after a significant number of Republicans defected from the hardline Ohio congressman. A few more Republican colleagues abandoned Jordan on the second ballot, which came up short again on Wednesday.

Last week, some Republicans nominated House Majority Leader Steve Scalise by secret ballot to be speaker. One day later, the Louisiana Republican withdrew his nomination for the position after it became clear that he could not win over detractors and secure the requisite 217 votes to become speaker. Before that, Jordan had already lost a head-to-head vote to Scalise by a 113–99 vote.

Earlier this month, the House narrowly voted to oust McCarthy on a motion to vacate introduced by Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, who claimed McCarthy had reneged on promises he made to the GOP holdouts who dragged McCarthy through 15 rounds of voting in January.

Democrats joined a small group of Republican rebels to vacate the speaker’s chair for the first time in history. McCarthy bowed out from a House speakership rerun after he was expelled, saying that he “might” endorse a replacement candidate.