Elizabeth Esty LAW ’85, a researcher at Yale Law School, will run for Congress next year, the political blog Daily Ructions reported Wednesday.

Esty, a Democrat, is seeking the seat that Democrat Chris Murphy will vacate next fall to run for the Senate seat currently held by Joseph Lieberman ’64 LAW ’67. Esty served one term representing Cheshire in the General Assembly, but lost last fall to Al Adinolfi, the Republican she defeated in 2008. During the election, Esty drew flack for her lifelong opposition to the death penalty, and for supporting Rep. Gary Holder-Winfield’s bill to repeal capital punishment.

The report comes just two weeks after Gov. Dannel Malloy, also a Democrat, nominated Esty’s husband, Law School professor Dan Esty LAW ’86, to head a newly-formed Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Esty is expected to announce her decision next week, Daily Ructions reported.