A Democratic gubernatorial candidate paid his second visit to the ISU campus in a week as he prepares for the June 6 primary election that will determine the Democratic nominee for governor.

Ed Fallon, state representative from Des Moines, visited with about a dozen supporters Friday morning at Beardshear Hall, discussing student issues, including tuition and debt.

Fallon returned to Ames after participating in a debate with other Democratic gubernatorial candidates in the Memorial Union April 3.

Fallon said he intends to fully fund the Iowa Board of Regents’ Partnership Plan for Transformation and Excellence, a four-year legislative package that asks the Iowa Legislature for $40 million a year to fund the Regents institutions.

Legislators this session have proposed as little as $6 million for the plan.

“Higher education is continually underfunded by the state government,” Fallon said, addressing a gathering mostly composed of students. “I don’t think Iowa students should be burdened with that kind of financial risk.”

According to a study published by U.S. News and World Report 2006 Edition of America’s Best Colleges, 68 percent of ISU students graduated with an average debt of more than $27,000, the second-highest average debt total of national public institutions.

Fallon said repealing tax breaks for corporate interests would allow the Legislature to fully fund the Regents’ $40 million request.

“I can’t guarantee the Legislature will go along,” he said, “but as governor, I will do everything I can to see that there isn’t a single penny increase in tuition.”

Fallon’s stop at Iowa State made up the first leg of a one-day trip to the three state schools in Iowa.

Gavin Aronsen, junior in pre-journalism and mass communication, said he and a group of ISU students started Students for Fallon, an organization supporting Fallon’s candidacy for governor, late last year.

Aronsen, who attended Fallon’s visit on Friday, said he supports Fallon because of his advocacy for student issues.

“Students should get behind [Fallon],” he said. “As students, I think we often have the most to lose when it comes to state policy, and he wants to fight for our interests.”

Robert Dick, senior in genetics and a member of Students for Fallon, said the organization will organize absentee ballot drives before the end of the school year to ensure that students who leave the state during the summer break can still vote in the June primaries.

“In the coming weeks, we’re going to focus on getting people to vote,” Dick said.