BOSTON -- Shortly after losing his challenge to state Rep. Brad Jones for minority leader, Rep. Lewis Evangelidis sharply criticized the GOP's caucus process and blamed Beacon Hill "insiders" for his defeat.

Evangelidis narrowly lost to Jones earlier Wednesday by a vote of nine to seven.

In a statement, Evangelidis said his efforts to defeat Jones were unfairly squashed.

"The most disappointing aspect of today's caucus was the way the process was conducted attempting to shut down all debate," the Holden Republican said. "Our caucus always laments how the majority party abuses its power and authority to serve their own particular needs, not the voters of Massachusetts. Unfortunately, that was the tact that was taken by the leader of our caucus. There was a refusal to allow the clerk of the court to come down and rule on a procedural matter of whether or not we had to adhere to the existing house rules. There was a refusal to have this election conducted by secret ballot and our current leader offered no plan when given the opportunity."

Evangelidis repeated stated that "45 percent" of the caucus backed him to be leader. That contingent, he said, wanted to change the status quo on Beacon Hill but was stymied by "Beacon Hill insiders."

"Often times the Beacon Hill insiders are the last to receive that message. The Beacon Hill insiders are a very difficult group to beat and when the Beacon Hill insiders win, as they did today, the citizens of the commonwealth lose."

The six other Republicans who supported Evangelidis were Reps. Todd Smola (Palmer), Susan Gifford (Wareham), Donald Humason (Westfield), Karyn Polito (Shrewsbury), Daniel Webster (Hanson) and Jeffrey Perry (Sandwich).