For those who wondered why we wrote about Clay Aiken's riff on the school board elections, you'll love this news.

The Wake County Republican Party sent a press release this evening saying that GOP Chairman Claude Pope is challenging Aiken's right to remain registered to vote in the county.

Aiken has a home in Chatham County but is registered to vote at his mother's home in North Raleigh. Voter registration records show he voted in last month's school board elections.

The Wake GOP is reveling in tonight's election results.

In a press release, the Wake County Republican Party points to wins by school board candidate John Tedesco and other GOP endorsed candidates. The GOP had made it their mission this year to elect a new board majority that would back neighborhood schools.

"The voters responded to our call for fiscal conservatism, personal responsibility, government accountability and support for families and neighborhoods,” Wake County GOP Chairman Claude E. Pope, Jr, said in the press release.

The Wake County Republican Party is declaring victory in the District 2 school board race.

In the press release, Wake GOP Chairman Claude Pope Jr. praises Cathy Truitt for stepping down from the runoff election, "thus saving the taxapayers of Wake County thousands of dollars."

Pope is wrong. The ballots have been printed. Early voting has already begun. Voters will still see Truitt's name on the ballot even though she conceded today.

Here's the GOP press release:

The Wake County Republican Party is revving up its members "to finish the job" and elect John Tedesco in the District 2 school board runoff race.

In a press release sent Tuesday, Wake GOP Chairman Claude Pope Jr. says they need to "work extra hard to ensure the new school board will have the critical new leadership to bring back neighborhood schools and stop the costly busing policy which keeps critical resources from getting to disadvantaged schools."

The Wake County Democratic Party didn't officially endorse anyone in District 2 because only Republicans and one Libertarian were on the ballot. But some individual Democrats are rallying around Cathy Truitt now.

The Wake County Republican Party is speaking out again on the school board races and the other municipal elections next week.

In the press release, GOP Chairman Claude Pope Jr. says he's disputing Sunday's N&O column by Rob Christensen that off-year races are designed to be dull. The press release comes right after Wake County Democratic Party Chairman Jack Nichols accused school board critics of being led by the GOP.

Here's the press release:

Take Wake Schools Back and Wake Schools Community Alliance are on the same page when it comes to endorsements for school board candidates.

Both groups are backing Chris Malone in District 1, John Tedesco in District 2, Deborah Prickett in District 7 and Debra Goldman in District 9. Take Wake Schools Back announced its endorsements today while WSCA made them before the filing period ended last month.

The one crack in the unified opposition will likely be closed up next week when the leadership of the Wake County Republican Party revises its endorsements.

Former Wake County school board candidate Jerry Ballan may have had more than sufficient reason to drop out of the race.

Ballan was among a list of Florida businessmen who received immunity in exchange for agreeing to testify in 1991 against the operators of a bordello. While Ballan's name appeared on the bordello's client list, his secretary told a newspaper reporter in 1991 that Ballan had simply mailed his business card to the prostitute.

Ballan denied the prostitution case was the reason he dropped out of the school board race. He told reporter Ray Martin that the reason was his wife's health issues.

The Wake County Republican Party is jumping into the Jim Black land controversy by defending school board member Ron Margiotta's criticism of the deal and calling for an independent investigator to review the case.

In a press release sent late this afternoon, Wake GOP Chairman Claude E. Pope Jr. says that Wake Judge Donald Stephens' complaints about Margiotta were "extremely inappropriate." Pope fires some really harsh shots, saying the deal was a case of "the party in power cutting deals for its own fallen leader."

The Wake GOP has been really active in school affairs this election year. It has promised to back candidates who support neighborhood schools and complained about year-round school being open on Memorial Day.

Wake Democrats and Republicans are getting into the act for this fall's school board races.

Wake County Republican Party Chairman Claude Pope fired the first shot in April when he announced the GOP "will vigorously support School Board candidates who actively support the concept of neighborhood schools."

The Wake County Democratic Party is gearing up as well now to back candidates who would largely preserve current school board policies.

CORRECTION

Changed Prickett's voter status to unaffiliated from independent.

Raleigh’s recently adopted $697 million budget was sharply criticized this afternoon by Wake County Republican Chairman Claude E. Pope, Jr.

In a speech before the Wake County Republican Women’s Club, Pope said the council’s budget was stuffed with unnecessary spending at a time when everyone, particularly governments, should be cutting back.

Pope criticized the council’s decision to not reduce funding for the arts, and also took a shot at City Manager Russell Allen for accepting a $10,000 raise.

Pope compared Raleigh’s budget, which increases spending by $53 million, unfavorably with Wake County’s budget, which reduced spending by $30 million.

Pope said the presence of three Republicans on the Wake Board of Commissioners showed that the GOP is the party of fiscal responsibility.
“We applaud the efforts of the Wake County Board of Commissioners,” Pope said. “In contrast to the city, the county commissioners passed a budget that cut spending, showed compromise and fiscal restraint.”

Pope also criticized the City Council for adding $1.85 million in new spending by reducing the amount the city will put towards paying of existing and future debt.

“If you put off paying your mortgage for a year, you would no longer have a house to live in,” Pope said.

Pope praised Councilman Philip Isley, the only Republican on the 8-member Raleigh City Council and the only councilor who voted against the budget.

Pope said after his speech that he hadn’t spoken to Isley since the budget was adopted on Tuesday.

At least one of Pope's criticisms showed an unfamiliarity with Raleigh’s budget. Pope said the city should have cut inspectors since new building permits have dropped as the housing bubble has burst.
“Have any of these jobs been cut?” he asked.

The city’s adopted budget cuts 15 positions from the Inspections Department.

After his speech, Pope fielded questions from reporters. He said the City Council’s recent actions are an opportunity for Republicans to win back seats. City Council elections are officially nonpartisan, but the number of Republicans on the council has been shrinking in recent years.

Pope acknowledged that the GOP needs to field a stronger slate of candidates this fall.
“The Republican Party needs to do a better job fielding qualified candidates,” he said.

The filing deadline for this fall’s election is July 17.