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The first Monday afternoon leadership meeting of Gov. Maura Healey’s tenure was a smaller affair than had been the case for the last eight years, without any Republican lawmakers invited, and Healey said Monday that was intentional.

“We thought it was important for this, the first meeting, that it just be a meeting among the four of us,” Healey said after meeting with Lt. Gov. Driscoll, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano – all Democrats. “We have known each other and worked together, but in different capacities over the last many years and I think it is appropriate for this initial meeting, as we sit down and and talk about the future and what we all want to accomplish together, for us to sit together.”

The governor added, “I certainly look forward to continued conversation, communication, with minority leadership. I know the lieutenant governor does as well.”

A Healey spokesperson suggested that the minority leaders might be invited to participate in future leadership meetings.

Under Republican former Gov. Charlie Baker, the leaders of the House and Senate minority caucuses were regular participants in the semi-regular Monday afternoon huddles. The last time Massachusetts had either a Republican speaker or Senate president was in the late 1950s, but Republican legislative leaders began attending the weekly meetings that often influence the public policy agenda and include crucial updates by 1991, when Republican Gov. Bill Weld took office and GOP influence peaked on Beacon Hill.

The tradition continued under Govs. Paul Cellucci, Jane Swift and Mitt Romney – all Republicans – but Democratic leaders on Beacon Hill stopped inviting their Republican counterparts to participate under Democrat Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration at least for a time, according to past News Service reporting.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr told the News Service after Healey’s inauguration Thursday that he expected the meetings to continue and that “it’s incumbent on the new governor and lieutenant governor to continue with that form of inclusiveness” that took place under Baker.

“Regular, bipartisan leadership meetings have been one of the distinguishing hallmarks of a state government that operates in a collaborative way, with effective communication between its leaders. They have served us well during very challenging times, and are as important now as ever,” Tarr and House Minority Leader Brad Jones said in a joint statement Monday afternoon. “We look forward to the continuation of these conversations, which are powerful in symbol and substance, and to taking part in them as before. We stand ready to do whatever is necessary to facilitate that continuity.”