Will lead 25-member House GOP caucus for 2025-2026 legislative session
BOSTON – Representative Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) has been overwhelmingly re-elected by his Republican colleagues to serve as the Minority Leader of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
The vote to select Jones as Minority Leader took place on January 1, which also marked the official start of the 2025-2026 legislative session, as new and returning legislators in the House and Senate took their oath of office.
“I am truly grateful for the overwhelming vote of confidence and support I received from my colleagues,” said Representative Jones. “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.”
“I am so pleased that Brad will once again lead the House caucus,” said Representative Kimberly N. Ferguson (R-Holden). “Brad has been a terrific colleague and partner, and I am looking forward to continuing to work with him to pursue a legislative agenda that prioritizes the needs of the Commonwealth’s hardworking taxpayers.”
“I was honored to cast my vote for Brad to continue in his role as Minority Leader over the next two years,” added Representative Donald H. Wong (R-Saugus). “He will do a great job making sure the needs of our cities and towns are addressed and advocating for sound fiscal policies to help make Massachusetts more affordable.”
In his inaugural remarks, Jones thanked the voters of the Twentieth Middlesex District “for the continued privilege of allowing me to serve the citizens of Reading, North Reading, Lynnfield and Middleton. I look forward to continuing to work on their behalf with my legislative colleagues in the House and Senate.”
He also recognized his wife, Linda, citing her “unwavering” and “constant support” over the years, and their children, Alexis and Nicholas, saying they “never cease to be able to lift my spirits or change my focus for the better, no matter how difficult the day with their unconditional love.” The couple are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary this month.
Addressing his House colleagues, Jones cited as “imperative” the need for “ensuring a strong economy for the citizens of our Commonwealth.”
“A strong and growing economy provides the foundation for making our state more affordable as well as providing the resources we need to meet the needs of our most vulnerable citizens and the resources our cities and towns so desperately deserve,” he said. “While our economy is stronger than it was two years ago when we stood here in the shadows of the pandemic, none of us can or should be satisfied that it is as strong as it should be. Our never-ending wishes to do more on a wide variety of fronts must always be tempered by the ability of the taxpayers to afford those wishes and our obligation to prepare for the future because if the past is prologue, some issue which barely draws our notice today will command our focus during the next two years.”
When it comes to making policy decisions, Jones urged his colleagues to follow the guiding principle of asking “does the policy help ensure a brighter, safer and more secure future for the children and grandchildren of the people we represent.”
Addressing House Speaker Ronald Mariano (D-Quincy) directly, Jones expressed confidence that “we can find common ground in the year ahead to ensure that the critical needs of the residents of the Commonwealth are addressed,” while adding that, “In those times when that is impossible to achieve, we must disagree and debate in the best interests of the citizens of Massachusetts, in the finest traditions of this institution and with purpose, integrity and respect.”
Jones concluded by saying “I am optimistic that collectively we can accomplish important things during the next two years. I know that the Republican Caucus is ready to get to work, and we look forward to working to move Massachusetts forward.”
A lifelong North Reading resident, Jones was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1994. He has never missed a roll call and continues to maintain a perfect voting record after casting 8,038 consecutive votes as a member of the Massachusetts House.
