Rep. Brad Jones, a North Studying Republican, handily gained reelection to the highest conservative submit within the Home Wednesday after dealing with a longshot bid from Rep. Marc Lombardo, a Billerica Republican who has criticized Jones’ management.
Lombardo’s candidacy represented one of many first public challenges Jones has confronted since 2009 and the opening of a small rift within the 25-member Home Republican Caucus. However Jones cruised again to the minority chief’s workplace on a 19-5-1 vote the place one lawmaker voted for a 3rd candidate.
“(The vote) additionally says that regardless of the extraordinary efforts of outdoor excessive teams and events, that they misplaced once more,” Jones instructed reporters shortly after the vote. “I’m comfortable to have a dialog about Marc, about his imaginative and prescient, about how he desires to take part going ahead, and have a dialog with each single one of many members.”
In asserting his run for the highest Home Republican submit, Lomardbo stated conservatives within the chamber wanted to mount a stronger problem to the Democratic Celebration, which holds a super-majority in each legislative branches on Beacon Hill.
Lombardo launched a three-point plan to “rebuild our get together” that touched on management growth, holding Democrats “accountable,” and rising transparency within the Legislature.
Lombardo stated Wednesday’s vote was not a loss however the begin of a “dialog inside the caucus and with the voters of the commonwealth about how they need the Republican Celebration of Massachusetts to function, how they need the Home caucus to function.”
“They don’t need us working as a uni-party. They don’t need us letting payments undergo 95 at a time on the final night time of session with no one within the constructing. They need transparency. They need a powerful Republican voice. And we haven’t had that,” he instructed reporters.
Lombardo has lashed out in opposition to Jones and accused the North Studying Republican of wielding legislative stipends to consolidate energy.
“I can let you know unequivocally the conversations I had, a lot of them who voted for Brad Jones should not pleased with the best way issues are and simply want to search out the braveness to really vote the best way that they actually really feel,” he stated.
Jones has known as Lombardo’s remarks “divisive rhetoric and meaningless noise generated by outdoors particular pursuits, extremist teams and others main as much as right this moment’s vote.”
“As we start a brand new legislative session, I’m honored to have the chance to proceed to steer the Home Republican Caucus over the subsequent two years and can proceed to work alongside my colleagues to advocate for accountable insurance policies which are in one of the best pursuits of our cities and cities and the state’s taxpayers,” he stated in an announcement.
