Ed Fallon sent an e-mail to supporters today asking for donations to help retire approximately $35,000 in debt from his campaign (the first campaign he has ended in debt).

He hired a large field staff and was apparently counting on more help from national groups than he ultimately received. With the notable exception of Democracy for America, which raised tens of thousands of dollars for Fallon’s campaign, most progressive groups stayed on the sidelines during the primary in Iowa’s third district.

That includes some groups that spent lots of money on behalf of Donna Edwards in her successful primary challenge in Maryland’s fourth Congressional district.

Relatively few nationally-prominent bloggers helped Fallon raise money. In contrast, the Daily Kos community and the Blue America group of bloggers each raised tens of thousands of dollars for Donna Edwards.

The full text of the e-mail from Fallon is after the jump. If you want to donate to his campaign, you can still donate through the website at:

http://www.fallonforcongress.com

Alternatively, you can mail a check to Fallon for Congress, 752 16th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314.  

Appeal For Support

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. You can mail a check to Fallon for Congress, 752 16th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314. Or you can donate on-line at www.fallonforcongress.com. If you need to call, Lynn and I can be reached at (515) 201-9405.

Thank you. I continue to be enriched and encouraged by your confidence, support and commitment. If you would like to visit personally for any reason, just let me know.

Sincerely,

Ed Fallon