Tong Has Listless Fundraising Quarter. May Need to Use Crisis Management Skills as Campaign Runs Low on Dough.

Brian Lockhart reports that Stamford state Representative William Tong’s campaign for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination raised a piddling $160,000 in the 4th quarter of 2011.  The three-term legislator has only $300,000 in the bank as the campaign begins to move into a more public phase. Tong trails far behind Democrats Susan Bysiewicz and frontrunner Christopher Murphy in fundraising and polls.

Tong’s burn rate means he could be out of money before the spring state party nominating contest. The candidate who claims to have “a better story” and spent his life knocking down barriers needs a breakthrough. He’s not likely to find one in his “Reclaim the Dream Tour” this week when it takes him to Killingly, Easton, Bethany, and Burlington.  Not many delegates to harvest in those sleepy burgs.

The privileged Renbrook School alum will have to summon the crisis management skills he ballyhoos on his corporate law firm website to revive his fading bid.