Incumbent State Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, has unanimously received the Republican nomination to run again for the 18th District seat, while Democratic challenger Andrew Parrella has also unanimously received his party’s endorsement.

The 18th District encompasses Griswold, Groton, North Stonington, Plainfield, Preston, Sterling, Stonington and Voluntown.

Somers, who co-founded a biotech company and was a town mayor in Groton, is seeking her fifth term as state senator.

Parrella, who said in a news release that he has been active for 35 years in local politics and was a leader in creating the Healthcare Workers Union (AFT) at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, is a Groton Representative Town Meeting member.

“I am immensely grateful for the outpouring of support I’ve received from around the 18th District and filled with determination to build on what we’ve been able to accomplish together in recent years by securing results to strengthen our eastern Connecticut communities and challenging the status quo in Hartford to expose corruption, mismanagement and broken priorities to make our state government be accountable to taxpayers,” Somers said in a statement.

Somers added that she is grateful “to everyone who has supported my campaign to once again earn the trust of voters to serve as an effective and independent voice for the 18th District.”

Parrella said in a statement that: “I am humbled and grateful for the outpouring of support throughout the district and I am ready to take our message directly to the voters and to hear from them what matters. It is an honor to have the encouragement and support of so many people and I know this year will be a critical election at all levels of government.”

Parrella added that he “is running to represent all residents of our diverse district and will always put their interests first.”