Progress NC Action is hailing tonight's re-election victory by Wake County school board member Kevin Hill as a rejection of Tea Party extremism.

Here's the liberal advocacy group's press release:

For Immediate Release

Progress NC Action still insists that Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo hasn't proven that she was an account manager overseeing more than $2 billion worth of small business loans in the Carolinas for First Union Bank.

In a press release this evening, the liberal advocacy group notes that Losurdo's newly released employment records list her job title as small business banking division risk management servicing specialist. Progress NC Action says that shows she had an administrative and not managerial job.

Donald Senior, Losurdo's former supervisor at First Union, said Losurdo could have been considered an account manager.

Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo provided proof this evening to back up statements on her website that she had overseen $2 billion in small business loans for First Union Bank in the late 1990s.

Progress NC Action, a liberal advocacy group, had accused Losurdo of embellishing her resume, questioning how a person with no college degree and a personal bankruptcy could have that level of responsibility. At a press conference today, Losurdo said that she had gotten in contact with Donald Senior, her supervisor at First Union, to show her statements were correct.

Losurdo also presented statements that she said Senior had made today to a television reporter substantiating her duties at First Union.

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST

Common Sense Matters is getting rough in this new campaign mailer that mentions Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo's employment at a New Orleans strip club 18 years ago.

In the mailer, the 527 group with ties to local Democrats has the words "Losurdo Exposed," saying voters should get "get the facts from the Losurdo Files." The mailer highlights the words from a Nov. 1 N&O article in which a former co-owner of the Crescent City Cabaret calls it "a strip club." Beside his quote is a photo of the exterior of the club.

The mailer also highlights Gerrick Brenner, executive director of the liberal Progress NC Action, questioning how Losurdo could go from working at the cabaret and declaring bankruptcy to overseeing $2 billion in small business loans at First Union.

"The more we learn about Heather Losurdo, the more our schools should fear..." says the mailer.

Progress NC Action is continuing to beat the drum on whether Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo embellished her resume.

In a press release today, the liberal advocacy group says Losurdo should provide references or Human Resources documentation to back up her statements that she oversaw $2 billion in small business loans in the Carolinas for First Union Bank.

“This is the definition of padding your resume,” said Gerrick Brenner, Executive Director of Progress NC ACTION, in the press release. “Not only is this behavior the wrong message to send Wake County students, but it is totally unacceptable for someone asking voters to trust them with their votes. Ms. Losurdo should either provide documents to back up her claims or she should withdraw from the race.”

The definition of "overseeing" is at the heart of a dispute between Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo and Progress NC Action.

As noted in today's article, the dispute revolves around this statement on Losurdo's website that she "was an Account Manager for First Union National Bank, overseeing all small business loans in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina equaling a portfolio of over $2 Billion."

Losurdo says the statement is correct while Progress NC Action questions how someone with her background could hold such an important-sounding position.

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST FOR PRESS RELEASE TODAY FROM PROGRESS NC ACTION

Progress NC Action is accusing Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo of wasting money and being "blinded by politics and personal ambition" in requesting the runoff election

Here's the liberal advocacy group's press release today:

Losurdo’s Runoff is a Huge Waste of Taxpayers Money

Progress NC Action is calling on Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo to concede the District 3 race to Kevin Hill.

In a press release tonight, the liberal advocacy group says Losurdo should be "avoiding a costly and divisive runoff election." This is coming from the same group that created a website dubbing Losurdo as the "Queen of Extreme" and trailed after her with a person wearing a skunk costume.

Here's the group's press release:

The most expensive campaign in Wake County school board history is leading  to a flurry of ads and charges.

As noted in today's article, reports on file show $385,909 has been raised so far by the candidates and other groups. But the number is actually far higher because many groups don't have to file yet or have only filed partial reports.

For instance, the $385,909 doesn't include the political parties and all the 501 groups and 527 groups. By the time all the numbers come in, the amount raised should easily exceed $500,000.

Wake County school board chairman Ron Margiotta says he has no intention of apologizing for including a photo of Superintendent Tony Tata on one of his campaign mailers.

Progress NC Action issued a press release today calling on Margiotta to "issue a formal apology" for using the photo. The group says the photo "is a clear violation of school board policy that prohibits the use of school resources for campaigning."

Margiotta said the photo was taken by a campaign supporter at a recent press conference in Apex to discuss the use of a unspent bond money to build new schools. He said there is no violation for him to use the photo.