Republican businessman Bob Stefanowski is seeking a rematch against a former political rival, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont.

The 2018 GOP gubernatorial candidate, who narrowly lost to Lamont in a three-way race that year, announced early Wednesday he hopes to be the party's contender once again. Lamont announced in November he has filed the necessary paperwork for a second term.

“I'm running because I fundamentally believe that by working together, we can change Connecticut,” Stefanowski said in a written statement. “I'm running for Governor to make government work for the people of Connecticut, not political insiders.”

Stefanowski, who also said he made an “initial investment of $10 million” in his campaign, focused much of his statement on the affordability and safety of the state.

“People in Connecticut are not asking for a lot,” he said in the statement. “They want to be safe, to trust that state government is being open and accountable, and to be able to afford to live, work and retire here.”

Stefanowski has maintained a public profile since losing to Lamont in his first bid for public office. During the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Stefanowski and his wife Amy, the Republican Town Committee chair in their hometown of Madison, launched a face mask distribution operation when PPE was difficult for people to find.

More recently, Stefanowski has posted photos of himself on Twitter — still using the handle