President Barack Obama is lending support to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Neil Abercrombie.

In an undisclosed number of e-mails sent yesterday, Obama said he has known Abercrombie since the former congressman was a college friend of the president’s parents at the University of Hawaii.

Obama applauds Abercrombie’s work over two decades representing Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District.

The president says Hawaii, where he was born, has special meaning to him and he wants it to have the best governor it can.

He also says Abercrombie’s race with Republican Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona is going to be close.

The e-mail was sent by an arm of the Democratic National Committee.

Abercrombie says in a statement that he treasures the endorsement.