State Sen. Heather Somers has launched Somers PAC, a political action committee dedicated to raising money for Republican candidates for the General Assembly and municipal offices.

"Somers PAC is dedicated to strengthening Connecticut by electing more Republican women, business leaders and municipal leaders to office — the key voices with the perspectives we need to move our state forward and offer voters and businesses a results-driven agenda unrecognizable from the broken status quo in Hartford," she said in a statement announcing the PAC.

"I’m the only Republican woman in the Senate, and I thought I should do all I can to support women," said Somers, a former Groton town mayor who represents the 18th state Senate District. "We need candidates with business experience, municipal experience or both."

She said none of the money the PAC raises can be used for her own campaigns. 

"It’s important to encourage more women to become involved in government, and this is one way I can help," she said. "Women are really good at multitasking and working with both (political) sides." 

Among state lawmakers, business experience is important, Somers said, because of the many bills that come before the legislature that affect small businesses.

"As a state senator with experience building a biotech manufacturing business here in Connecticut and leading my hometown of Groton as a mayor, I know firsthand the positive impact that pro-growth, pro-business policies have on our communities," she said in a statement. "Unfortunately, over the last nine years, we've seen leaders in Hartford pursue an agenda that undermines employers, makes it harder to attract high-value workers to our state and that raises the cost of doing business in Connecticut."

Democrats have held the governor's seat since former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy began the first of his two terms in office in 2011. Gov. Ned Lamont succeeded Malloy this year.

Currently serving her second Senate term, Somers was the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014, running on a GOP ticket headed by Tom Foley for governor. She served as a Groton Town councilor and mayor and helped found Hydrofera, a medical device manufacturer.