HONOLULU (AP) - U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka says he supported the failed nomination of a liberal professor to the California-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Akaka, a Democrat representing Hawaii, made a statement in the congressional record Thursday urging that Goodwin Liu be confirmed by the Senate.

But the Senate fell eight votes short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster, derailing Liu's nomination.

Akaka said Liu is an expert on constitutional law who would have remained a neutral mediator on the appeals court.

Akaka said Liu would have helped the court better reflect the broad population it serves in the western United States.

There are currently no Asian-Americans among the court's 29 active judges.