Wake County school board candidate Donna Williams raised close to $50,000 in her unsuccessful bid to win the District 6 seat.

In her final 2011 campaign finance report filed earlier this month, Williams reported raising $48,335.96. The Republican spent all the money and closed out the campaign committee.

Her main Democratic opponent, Christine Kushner, raised $51,343.47 and spent $37,123.21 to easily win the Raleigh seat. Combined, Williams and Kushner spent nearly $100,000.

Wake County school board District 6 candidate Donna Williams has narrowed the funding gap between her and Christine Kushner despite having gotten off to a late start.

A new campaign finance report filed this week shows that Williams has raised $41,370.83 as of Sept. 26 with $18,761.70 on hand. Through that same time period, Kushner had raised $50,406.93 with $31,383.11 on hand.

The biggest donors in Williams' new report are the $1,500 from the Northern Wake Republican Club and $1,000 from Dr. James Fulghum.