Rep. Marc Lombardo, a Billerica Republican, announced plans Wednesday to run for the top conservative post in the Massachusetts House, a move that immediately pitted him against a longtime incumbent and set off a firestorm within the right wing of the chamber.

Lombardo, who was just reelected to his eighth term, said his decision to challenge Rep. Brad Jones of North Reading was based in part on a need within the Republican Caucus to mount a “stronger challenge to the Democratic Party’s one-party dominance.”

Jones has held the spot “for more than half my life,” Lombardo said, all while Beacon Hill “operates more as a uni-party than it does having any opposition voice.”

“We need to put those days of taking crumbs off the table in exchange for parking spots and stipends and put them to a side and represent the voice of the taxpayers, listen to the will of the voters when they tell us they want the Legislature audited, listen to the taxpayers when they tell us the cost of living in Massachusetts is too high,” Lombardo said in an interview.

House Republicans will vote for their next leader on Jan. 1 during a private meeting with the caucus’ 25 members ahead of their swearing-in. Lombardo is the first public challenge to Jones’ leadership since 2009, when Jones fended off former Rep. Lew Evangelidis.

Jones, who was elected to his 16th term in November and first joined the House in 1995, said he already has “the support of the overwhelming majority of the caucus.”

“I have enjoyed the productive discussions with Republican colleagues about how we can work together as we head into the 2025-2026 session. I look forward to continuing to serve as House Minority Leader come Jan. 1,” Jones said in a statement shortly after Lombardo’s announcement.

In announcing his run for House minority leader, Lombardo said he wants to refocus the caucus on “sound fiscal management,” public safety, government accountability, and transparency in the Legislature.

He said there are “growing concerns about the Democratic Party’s unchecked control over state government and the perceived need for a reinvigorated opposition.”

“The current Republican leadership has repeatedly failed to be a voice of reason at a time when Democrats continue to pass laws that are crippling the economy and making Massachusetts one of the most expensive states in the country to live in,” he said in a statement.

But some of Lombardo’s House Republican colleagues met his candidacy with skepticism.

Rep. Paul Frost, an Auburn Republican who serves in House Republican leadership, said he will vote for Jones and he does not see Lombardo as a “serious candidate at all.”

“I mean Marc Lombardo would actually have to come into the building and advocate for people to vote for him to do the job,” Frost told the Herald. “He brings nothing to the caucus and has brought nothing to the caucus. I don’t understand why now, all of a sudden, he thinks he’d be the right person to lead us. I don’t even know if he’s got anybody more to follow him.”

Others were supportive of Lombardo.

Rep. Nick Boldyga, a Southwick Republican, said he is backing Lombardo because Jones has made “no progress” for the Republican caucus during his time as its leader, and conservatives in the House “need to rebuild the party.”

He said Jones declaring he already has the support of an “overwhelming majority” of House Republicans is “unfortunate.”

“I think the people that we actually have with us are Republicans who still believe … in debating legislation at the State House. They still believe in helping working-class citizens. And I think they’re terrified. I think they’re afraid to come out against somebody who’s been there for 22 years, who’s really a swamp creature at best,” he said. “I mean the man’s been institutionalized for God’s sake. I hope they come to their senses over the next couple of weeks.”

Rep. Todd Smola, a Warren Republican who serves as the ranking minority member of the House budget-writing committee, said he is supporting Jones because he is a “strong leader” in Massachusetts who works well with other conservatives.

“I think the last thing that we need to do is have a fight internally given the fact that we came off a strong national election, the wind is at the backs of the Republican Party,” Smola told the Herald.

Rep. Joe McKenna, a Sutton Republican, said he too would support Jones but acknowledged that Lombardo’s candidacy “shows that there is some interest in the caucus to be a little bit more conservative.”

“I look forward to having that conversation with Leader Jones, who I do intend to vote for,” McKenna told the Herald. “I think that we as a caucus can work to be more conservative and aggressive as Republicans, to be in front on the issues, and I hope that Brad is willing to work towards that.”