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(WTNH) – With recent poll numbers showing he’d lose to the two top Republicans vying for his seat, Democratic Party insiders are starting to worry that Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd’s troubles could hurt other candidates.

There is no official Democratic Party chorus asking Sen. Dodd not to seek re-election next year for the good of the party, and on the record most everyone says they support him, but News Channel 8 has learned there is a lot of worry.

Sources within the state Democratic Party say that there is more and more unrest about the senior senator’s chances of re-election next year. There is fear that with his name at the top of the ticket other Democrats running for office could be hurt, and that it could harm the party’s chances of taking back the governor’s office and affect the outcomes in at least three of the state’s congressional races.

Sen. Dodd knows he’s in trouble. Sources say some town committee chairs have told him. But when asked, he puts the best face on it by talking about how things in politics can change rapidly.

“Things change, and I promise you, having been around long enough in all of this, knowing that things from week to week and month to month change dramatically. Mark, you’ve been around long enough to watch all this as well,” the senator said.

But the grumblers say that no one has come from as far back as Dodd has sunk in opinion polls, and that the discontent wouldn’t be as strong if it weren’t for the fact that Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is sitting on an 85 percent approval rating and would have no trouble raising the funds necessary for a Senate bid.

“I’ve said many times that I would be interested in any opportunity to be a candidate for the United States Senate,” Blumenthal said, “but I do not foresee that opportunity in 2010.”

“Ultimately elections turn out to be choices that people make and I’m very confident, have a lot of confidence in the people of this state, that when confronted with that kind of a choice we’ll do well,” Sen. Dodd said.
“Can you honestly say that no one has expressed these views to you?”
“You obviously have,” Sen. Dodd said.
“No, I’m not expressing a view, I’m only reporting on you.”
“I know.”
“No one has expressed those views to you?”
“Not to me directly, no,” Sen. Dodd said.
“Not the town committees that you met with in the Greater New Haven area recently?”
“No. Thanks,” Sen. Dodd said.

The other source of uneasiness among Democrats is that fact that the Republican nominee is either going to be a candidate with limitless personal wealth, or a former congressman who has handily beaten Dodd in every public opinion poll this year.