Rep. Brad Jones, a North Reading Republican, handily won reelection to the top conservative post in the House Wednesday after facing a longshot bid from Rep. Marc Lombardo, a Billerica Republican who has criticized Jones’ leadership.
Lombardo’s candidacy represented one of the first public challenges Jones has faced since 2009 and the opening of a small rift in the 25-member House Republican Caucus. But Jones cruised back to the minority leader’s office on a 19-5-1 vote where one lawmaker voted for a third candidate.
“(The vote) also says that despite the extraordinary efforts of outside extreme groups and parties, that they lost again,” Jones told reporters shortly after the vote. “I’m happy to have a conversation about Marc, about his vision, about how he wants to participate going forward, and have a conversation with every single one of the members.”
In announcing his run for the top House Republican post, Lomardbo said conservatives in the chamber needed to mount a stronger challenge to the Democratic Party, which holds a super-majority in both legislative branches on Beacon Hill.
Lombardo released a three-point plan to “rebuild our party” that touched on leadership development, holding Democrats “accountable,” and increasing transparency in the Legislature.
Lombardo said Wednesday’s vote was not a loss but the start of a “conversation within the caucus and with the voters of the commonwealth about how they want the Republican Party of Massachusetts to operate, how they want the House caucus to operate.”
“They don’t want us operating as a uni-party. They don’t want us letting bills go through 95 at a time on the last night of session with nobody in the building. They want transparency. They want a strong Republican voice. And we haven’t had that,” he told reporters.
Lombardo has lashed out against Jones and accused the North Reading Republican of wielding legislative stipends to consolidate power.
“I can tell you unequivocally the conversations I had, many of them who voted for Brad Jones are not happy with the way things are and just need to find the courage to actually vote the way that they really feel,” he said.
Jones has called Lombardo’s remarks “divisive rhetoric and meaningless noise generated by outside special interests, extremist groups and others leading up to today’s vote.”
“As we begin a new legislative session, I am honored to have the opportunity to continue to lead the House Republican Caucus over the next two years and will continue to work alongside my colleagues to advocate for responsible policies that are in the best interests of our cities and towns and the state’s taxpayers,” he said in a statement.