Republican former state Rep. John Scott of Mystic has launched a campaign for a seat in the 40th General Assembly District, which covers sections of Groton and Ledyard.

Scott, the president of Bailey Agencies Insurance in Groton, served as state representative in the 40th District from 2014 to 2016. He says he was the first openly gay Republican to serve in the General Assembly.

Scott was defeated by Democratic challenger Christine Conley in 2016. He officially announced his most recent bid for office last week.

“It would be a great honor to return to Hartford to serve the residents of Groton and Ledyard,” Scott said in a prepared statement.

“Our state continues to head in the wrong direction and the only way we change this is by sending people to Hartford that will end the years of tax and spend policies. I am ready to return to Hartford and will fight for the hardworking taxpayers of Groton and Ledyard,” he said.

He said he fought against Gov. Dannel Malloy’s and Democratic legislators' tax increases and anti-business proposals.

“I was proud of the work I accomplished during my first term in office,” Scott said. “It has been frustrating watching our governor and majority party propose tax increase after tax increase as a plan to solve our fiscal crisis. Our revenue stream is not the problem; it’s the overspending and the over taxation that is leading to perpetual budget deficits.”

More information is available at Scott’s campaign website, www.johnscott2018.com.