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Im telling our people, if you have an opponent with a pulse, you need to run as if your political life depended on it. State Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn, CTMirror.com, Oct. 8.

While the vast majority of media attention has been focused on the U.S. Senate race this year, and the prospects of Republicans gaining control of the upper chamber, there is an equally intense battle being fought locally with control of the General Assemblys Senate chambers at stake. Democrats hold 22 of the 36 Senate seats. Republicans need only to flip five seats to take control. Not an easy task, but not impossible given the current political climate. There are four open Senate seats in this years election as a result of incumbents choosing to retire three Democrats and one Republican. Probably no contest is being more fiercely fought than the 19th Senate District seat being vacated by Sen. Edith Prague, D-Columbia, which could go either way. State Rep. Christopher Coutu, R-Norwich, and Sprague Democratic First Selectman Catherine Osten are engaged in a hotly contested battle fueled by a general dislike for each other. This ones personal. Another contest that should have Democrats concerned is the 33rd Senate District seat being vacated by Sen. Eileen Daily, D-Westbrook. Freshman state Rep. James Crawford, D-Westbrook, a retired teacher, is being challenged by Republican newcomer Art Linares, also of Westbrook and a former student of Crawfords. But theres an added twist in this contest a third party candidate, Melissa Schlag of Haddam. Schlag is the Green Party candidate and former executive director of the Citizens for Protection of Public Lands, the grassroots organization that successfully fought the controversial Haddam land swap. Crawford voted in favor of the swap last year, but has since changed his position. An open seat in Bridgeport is likely to remain in Democratic hands, meaning Republicans will have to oust two or three other Democratic incumbents to take control of the Senate a tall order. But the winds of change may favor the GOP if and its a big if Republicans can turn a handful of Senate races into a referendum on Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. Since taking office in January 2011, the governors approval ratings have not risen above 50 percent. His best showing was in a March Quinnipiac University poll where his popularity climbed to 44 percent with 45 percent disapproving of his job performance. If GOP challengers can tap into the anger of the electorate over high taxes and high unemployment by focusing on Malloys policies, and their Democratic opponents support of those policies, its possible. Williams advice to his fellow Democrats to run as if your political life depended on it shouldnt be ignored. Ray Hackett is The Bulletins editorial page editor. He has more than 20 years covering Connecticut politics. He can be reached at (860) 425-4225 or rhackett@norwichbulletin.com

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Hackett on Politics: Battle for Senate control isn’t just about Washington