Fallon pitch for dollars

Ed Fallon, a former state legislator who ran for governor in 2006, ran in the Democratic primary for Iowa’s third district congressional seat and lost to incumbent Leonard Boswell.  Fallon, who is from Des Moines, issued a fundraising appeal to supporters this week.  Read it below.  Does it sound bitter to you?  Plus, when I got to the boldface, all caps declaration that he is "NOT GIVING UP" I wondered if Fallon was to reveal he was running as an independent candidate in the fall against Boswell.

Dear Friends,

Campaigns are rough. Physically, emotionally and financially. They can leave you drained and discouraged. Especially when you lose. Especially when your opponent lies about you and assassinates your character. Especially when you realize that some of the mistakes you made might have been avoided.

I’ll admit that lately I sometimes feel drained and discouraged. But I also feel blessed by the incredible, often tireless efforts of so many good people coming together to act on their passion and principles. You give me hope. You inspire me. And I want you to know that . . .

I AM NOT GIVING UP!

Lynn and I have committed our lives to public service, and as we recover from this campaign we are eager to see where the path leads next. We hope to have clarity on that by the end of the summer.

For now, the primary tasks at hand are to (1) break down and organize the extensive resources assembled in this campaign, and (2) pay-off the debt.

To meet our outstanding bills, and for my own peace of mind, I need your help to retire $35,000 in debt as quickly as possible. In the past week, we’ve received $3,500 from 40 donors, and another 20 people have made pledges. That’s a start, and I thank you. But as someone who has always tried to live and work within his means, and who as an elected official made fiscal responsibility a key priority, debt bothers me a lot and I won’t feel at ease until it’s paid-off.

Many losing candidates finish in the red; but having run eight previous campaigns in the black, campaign debt is a new experience for me. If you can help with $50 or $100 – or more or less as your means allow – I would be very grateful.

Sincerely,

Ed Fallon