The man once called  the “Asian Obama,”  is ending his run for the U.S. senate seat held by Joe Lieberman.    Eyewitness News has confirmed State Representative William Tong is dropping out of the senate race, and endorsing one of his rivals,  Congressman  Chris Murphy.     A source told Eyewitness News Murphy will also be endorsed by Governor Dannel Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman.

The announcement, scheduled for this afternoon, will come a little more than two weeks after the WFSB Face the State Democratic Senate debate, and about a year since Tong announced his candidacy on Face the State.      Tong, from Stamford was hoping to become Connecticut’s first Asian American senator.   He had say he was inspired to enter politics by his law professor,  Barack Obama.

More on Eyewitness News throughout the day.

William Tong announcing his candidacy on Face the State, May 8, 2011