Fallon says caucuses benefited him most - DM Register

[Debi]

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060119/NEWS09/601190381/1056

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Fallon said he raised $110,000 last year, compared with an amount four times greater that one of his opponents spent last year. He said he registered support among party activists in Monday's precinct caucuses, which he said is the real measure of his campaign's viability.

<snip>

He said he had signed up precinct captains, neighborhood-level organizers, in 408 of the 1,887 precincts holding caucuses on Monday, with at least some organized following in at least 500 of those precincts. Another key number he threw out: 1,200 campaign volunteers. None of those figures was independently verifiable Wednesday.

<snip>

"It's reflective of what our campaign strategy has been since I announced my candidacy," Fallon said. "And that is: Built from the bottom up, not from the top down like conventional campaigns do, and those conventional campaigns rely on an awful lot more money."

He said he will not accept more than $2,400 from individual donors and is refusing contributions from political action committees and special interest groups.

[pstans]

1. Story from Blog for Iowa

http://www.blogforiowa.com/blog/_archives/2006/1/19/1713936.html

"These results are very encouraging," Fallon said. "For caucuses, we were able to have an organizational presence in over 500 precincts, and 408 Iowans came forward to be precinct captains. Rank and file Iowans are going to be the key to my grassroots campaign, and their passion for the bread and butter issues like clean elections, fully funded education, universal health care, and better environmental protection are what will take this campaign to the next level."

Fallon's organization covered over 75% of Polk county precincts, but also had a presence in 68 counties. Over 150 Fallon supporters had contacted the campaign as of 11:30 Wednesday morning to report their results. Seventeen of those caucuses reported Fallon had swept their delegates.

"We're in a really good position to do well at county conventions, if it comes to that," Fallon said. "I'm also really excited about our new volunteers. Seventy-one of my precinct captains were former Republicans and Independents and registered as Democrats for the first time last night so they could support me at their caucuses. I'm finding more and more that Iowans from all political ideologies share a lot of passion and believe in my core message. They're not as interested in partisan politics as they are in candidates that present a common-sense message. I would challenge any other candidate to find that level of Republican and Independent support."

With campaign disclosure reports due tomorrow, Fallon took the opportunity to showcase the strengths he says will limit his need for money.

"Other candidates will certainly raise more money than I have, but none of them can claim the grassroots structure that I'm building," Fallon said. "Iowans are not sheep. Rank and file Iowans will follow the candidate that is the strongest on the issues they care about, not the candidate with the most money or the biggest endorsements."

[rurallib]

2. Got a feeling this will be a really close race.

And I think Fallon is right. His grass roots may play a major part in the selection. Grab your hats and hang on.