Hodges campaign doesn't beg for cash -- it brags

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges' political campaign hopes her plan to make July 14-20 "The Best Week of Bragging in Minneapolis Ever" will generate some financial bragging rights as well — or at least some more revenue.

"I'll be bragging about some of the progress our city has been making with Betsy Hodges as our mayor," the campaign boasts in a fundraising email sent today.

As evidence of progress, the campaign lists the creation of a task force on early childhood education, the Legislature's decision to allocate $21.5 million to rehab Nicollet Mall, and the legalization of "grocery trucks."

The mayor also has campaign debt to pay off — to herself. The campaign's only unpaid I.O.U. is a loan from Hodges. The mayor's most recent campaign finance report showed she had less than $3,000 left of the $433,000 she raised during last year's election.

Hodges won't be up for re-election until 2017, but as the email notes "nowadays, campaigning never stops."

Her closest rival, Mark Andrew, also dipped into his own pocket during the race, loaning his campaign $38,500 in the closing days of the election.

Losing campaigns aren't usually able to pay back those loans. That's one of the perks that comes with winning: You have something to brag about.