Waterford — Sharon Murphy Palmer, the former Connecticut commissioner of Labor, has announced a run for the state legislature’s 38th district.

Palmer, a former teacher in Waterford Public Schools, teachers' union president and AFL-CIO officer, retired from her post overseeing the Department of Labor in October.

State Rep. Kathleen McCarty, who was elected to the seat in 2014, has not announced whether she is running for re-election to represent the district, which includes Waterford and parts of Montville.

“I bring extensive experience in helping local school districts and towns collaborate to resolve problems, fiscal and otherwise,” Palmer said in a news release. "I look forward to using that knowledge to help the towns of Montville and Waterford as well as the State of Connecticut reach consensus in how to improve policy and move forward toward better fiscal health."

Palmer will kick off her campaign with an event Thursday at 5 p.m. at Filomena's Restaurant in Waterford.