Rep. Marc Lombardo’s bid to become the top conservative leader in the Massachusetts House next legislative session appeared to already be on shaky footing only a day after he announced his candidacy, according to a Herald tally of votes.

Fourteen Republicans, or a simple majority of the 25-member minority caucus for the 2025-2026 legislative session, told the Herald they planned to vote for Rep. Brad Jones, a North Reading lawmaker who has served as the House minority leader since 2002.

Rep. Michael Soter, a Bellingham Republican who is backing Jones, knocked Lombardo for what he said was a spotty attendance record at the State House.

“You actually have to show up to sessions and actually be part of the discussion if you want to lead the caucus. You actually have to take part in sessions and be engaged if you ever kind of want to show leadership,” Soter said. “I haven’t always agreed with Brad but you know what? Brad always opened up his door. We’ve always talked about points of difference.”

Lombardo was just reelected to his eighth term in November and said Wednesday that his decision to challenge Jones for the position was based on a need for legislative Republicans to mount a “stronger challenge to the Democratic Party’s one-party dominance.”

In a statement to the Herald Thursday afternoon, Lombardo referenced former U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy’s 1971 unsuccessful bid to be reelected majority whip.

Upon losing, Lombardo said, Kennedy “thanked the majority of the caucus who had pledged their vote to him and also thanked the 24 people who actually voted for him.”

“Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll continue conversations with members of the caucus about a bold plan for new leadership that will champion bringing meaningful debate back to the House floor, seek to end back door deals, and drive policies that focus on making Massachusetts a better place to live and do business,” Lombardo said.

Republicans are scheduled to huddle privately Jan. 1, the first day of the 2025-2026 session, to vote for the next House minority leader.

A spokesperson for Jones declined to comment Thursday but in a statement Wednesday the minority leader said he had the “support of the overwhelming majority of the caucus as I seek reelection.”

Reps. Donald Wong of Saugus, Paul Frost of Auburn, Todd Smola of Warren, Steven Howitt of Seekonk, John Marsi of Dudley, Marcus Vaughn of Wrentham, Hannah Kane of Shrewsbury, David DeCoste of Norwell, Norman Orrall of Lakeville, David Muradian of Grafton, Kimberly Ferguson of Holden, and Joseph McKenna of Sutton all said they were backing Jones, who can also vote for himself.

Representative-elect Michael Chaisson, a Foxborough Republican, said he too was voting for Jones. Chaisson is one of four new Republican lawmakers who will participate in the January leadership vote.

Rep. Nicholas Boldyga, a Southwick Republican who is a Lombardo supporter, said it is too early in the process to draw conclusions because “I think a lot of people might have been scared right away when they got a phone call from the minority leader of 22 years.”

“They’ve got a guy who’s a bully. He’s been there for 20 years, he’s nothing more than a bully,” Boldyga told the Herald Thursday. “He’s calling people, and he’s bullying them into coming out publicly in support of him because they’re absolutely terrified to do what’s right and to vote as Republicans and rebuild our caucus in a positive, energized way forward.”

But Wong, who often covers informal sessions for the Republican Caucus, also pointed to Lombardo’s attendance record as one of the reasons he is voting for Jones.

“(Jones’) attendance record in the State House is much better than Rep. Lombardo,” he told the Herald. “I think if you’re part of leadership, or the leader of the Republican Party, to know what’s going on, you should be here.”

Boldyga brushed aside the criticism of Lombardo’s appearances at the State House.

“You’re speaking to Jones’ attack dogs that he’s unleashed with paid stipends,” Boldyga said. “These are paid-for votes that are, of course, trying to smear Rep. Lombardo in his race for minority leader. All I know is, is that he shows up and regularly votes at the State House.”

Lombardo represents the more conservative wing of the Republican caucus and appears to have drawn the support of Jim Lyons, a former Republican lawmaker and head of the Massachusetts Republican Party.

In a social media post Wednesday, Lyons criticized Jones for “failed leadership (that) will be his lasting legacy.” The post also included a critical video of Jones that alleged the minority leader “sabotaged the Republican Party of Massachusetts.”

Representative-elect Michael Gaskey, a Carver Republican, said he is voting for Lombardo because “it’s time for a change.”

“He seems to be a pretty straight shooter, comes with some pretty good recommendations. And I’ve been watching the way the Legislature works up to this point and that was part of the reason why I was running, is because I don’t like the way things are going,” Gaskey said.

The last public fight for House minority leader was in 2009, when then-Rep. Lewis Evangelidis of Holden managed to corral six Republicans to back him in an attempted takeover.

But Evangelidis, who now serves as the Worcester County sheriff, lost to Jones in a 9-7 vote, according to Herald reporting from the time. He did not respond to a Herald inquiry Thursday.

Lombardo could be on a similar track when House Republicans meet privately to select their leader next year.

Kane, the Republican from Shrewsbury, said the minority leader must “be somebody who is engaged in the caucus, engaged in the committees you’re on, and engaged with your colleagues.”

“And Brad is all three of those things. He’s also been a mentor to all of us as we’ve come into the State House, and he has an inclusive approach,” Kane said in an interview. “I haven’t seen Rep. Lombardo in months, and he has not reached out to me personally, so I have no idea what he’s thinking.”