HARTFORD — For the second legislative election in a row, Republicans have their sights on winning control of the Connecticut Senate for the first time since 1996.

And once again, the GOP is getting some outside help.

Various independent groups are spending thousands of dollars — in some cases more — on mailers and mostly online and local advertising, hoping to win the four additional seats Republicans need to retake control of the 36-member, Democratic-controlled Senate.

"With a governor that has an all-time low job approval rating of 24 percent, there's a tremendous opportunity to restore balance to state government," said Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst in August, when he launched TIMPAC, a political action committee supporting GOP candidates.

TIMPAC, which raised $16,230 as of Oct. 10, has begun running a 1-minute online ad targeting Democratic Sen. Mae Flexer, criticizing her for supporting Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's 2011 program that allows inmates to earn credits toward possible early release. Similar ads are expected to be launched targeting several other incumbent Senate Democrats.

Senate President Martin Looney doesn't appear to be concerned by the GOP offensive. He said his "popular incumbents" are running strong campaigns. Only two incumbent senators — a Democrat and a Republican — are not seeking re-election this year.

"We're very confident that we're going to retain control of the Senate," said Looney, who has served in the General Assembly since 1981.

Democrats are fighting back. On Friday, the Connecticut Democratic Party announced it was launching the first in a series of online ads targeting several incumbent Repubicans, accusing them of trying to block legislation to remove guns from subjects of restraining orders and for not adequately disavowing presidential candidate Donald Trump.

"We have said throughout this election that we would hold Republicans accountable for their support of Donald Trump," said the party's executive director, Michael Mandell.

Republicans have managed to slowly whittle away some of the Democrats' power in the Senate over the years. In 2010, Democrats held a 24-to-12 majority in the chamber. Today, Democrats have a 21-15 plurality. Democrats also control the House of Representatives, where they hold an 87-64 majority. The GOP has pared that majority from a dominating 114-37 plurality in 2009.

JR Romano, chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party, contends the atmosphere of frustration within the electorate this year benefits his candidates. Recent polling from Quinnipiac University has shown Connecticut voters remain unhappy with the state's economy and employment situation, as well as the governor's job performance.

Romano has urged his candidates to ask voters about whether they like Malloy when they knock on voters' doors.

"Nine times out of 10, they hate him," said Romano, adding how GOP candidates then urge people to vote Republican to help reduce the Democrats' control of the Connecticut legislature. Democrats, meanwhile, have accused Republicans of being naysayers and have pointed out recent successes, including Lockheed Martin's recent decision to continue building U.S. Navy helicopters at Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford.

Last week, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton — expected to be a Republican candidate for governor in 2018 — began running an online ad pushing Romano's message. It features headlines about General Electric's decision to move to Boston.

"On Nov. 8, we have an opportunity to go back to the Connecticut that we all remember, the place that we all grew up in," he said. "And we can do that by voting for Row B, the Republican candidates for state Senate and state representative."

Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano said it's hard to say whether that will be enough for the GOP to finally control of the Senate.

"We're hopeful, there's no doubt about it. I've got great, great candidates, I really do. I've got people who are working very hard. They have the fire in the belly, which is what you need to run," he said. "So, you never know."