Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo raised nearly $100,000 in her unsuccessful campaign bid.

In her final campaign report filed Monday, Losurdo reported raising $99,207.29 and spending $98,207.83 It was a record amount for a Wake school board race.

The Republican outspent her main District 3 opponent, Democrat Kevin Hill, who raised $68,598 and spent $54,322. But the numbers look to be more in Hill's favor when you factor in the outside spending.

Will Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo be able to turn things around today thanks to the help of some outside political advice she picked up after the runoff?

After Losurdo only picked up 40 percent of the vote on Oct. 11, the campaign reached out to Jack Hawke to be a consultant for the runoff. Hawke is a longtime figure in state politics, having been the former chairman of the state Republican Party, a former president of the conservative Civitas Institute and a consultant to presumptive GOP gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory.

"I knew we had to change things," Hawke said. "She was 10 points down (as of Oct. 11). I'm proud of what she's done but we had a lot of ground to make up."

The state Republican Party is telling voters in a last-minute campaign mailer that Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo has "the right priorities for our children."

The mailer says that "Heather believes in neighborhood schools and parental choice and will use proximity as the number one priority for school assignment." The GOP also says "the new Choice Plan will be the foundation for providing parents and students with stability and provide an opportunity to improve every school."

The mailer says "Heather will listen to the people and be responsive." Referencing the Bedford reassignment controversy, the mailer also says that "in contrast, Heather's opponent responded to over 300 parents concerned about busing their children to another school by saying he intended to 'stonewall' them."

The groups not affiliated with Wake County school board member Kevin Hill and challenger Heather Losurdo pumped out a lot of campaign mailers.

As noted in today's article, at least $70,000 was spent by outside groups in targeted mailers in the District 3 runoff election. Some of the mailers got pretty rough.

For instance, Dean Debnam, a local Democratic activist who advocates for progressive causes, didn't see any problems with the mailers his N.C. Futures Action Fund bankrolled for Common Sense Matters.

The record-setting amount spent on this year's Wake County school board elections was highlighted today by NPR's "All Things Considered" show.

The segment noted how Wake's huge escalation in campaign costs mirrors the trend of high-priced school board races in other parts of the country. The high cost and the infusion of outside special interest money has surprised both school board member Kevin Hill and challenger Heather Losurdo.

Hill noted how in 2007 he raised $6,000 and his campaign staff consisted of he and his wife. This time he's got 300 volunteers and  more than $42,000.

The North Carolina Republican Party is calling Wake County school board member Kevin Hill "unfit for office" in a recent campaign mailer.

Calling it a 2011 School Board Candidate Report Card, the state GOP gives Hill "unfit for office" grades on listening to parents, getting along with others and putting children first.  They also give him "F" grade on neighborhood schools, saying he "will revive forced busing."

He gets an "F" on Superintendent Tata for voting against hiring him. They also give him an "F" on common sense, saying he was "a leader in the Majority on the school board when 'Wacky Wednesday' and having school on Memorial Day were allowed."

"Summary" Kevin Hill is failing us," says the front of the mailer. Click here for the back of the piece.

A campaign finance report filed Monday shows that the North Carolina Republican Party has spent $10,858.23 in campaign mailers to help Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo.

One example is their "Wake County Voter's Guide for School Board," which says that Losurdo "supports using proximity as the #1 priority for the school choice plan, supports neighborhood schools, and believes in listening to parents." The mailer also says Losurdo "supports Superintendent Tata and his leadership effort" and "will use family friendly and common values on school board issues."

It says that Kevin Hill "will revive forced busing: voted against the Bi-partisan School Choice Plan" and "voted against hiring Superintendent Tata." It also says he was "a leader in the Majority on the school board when 'Wacky Wednesday' and having School on Memorial Day were allowed."

Click here to view the front of the mailer. Click here to view the back.

Wake County school board member Kevin Hill is now going negative on challenger Heather Losurdo in this new campaign mailer.

In the mailer, Hill lists his education and professional experience. He then contrasts it with Losurdo's, saying she's "a 3-year Wake County resident," "president, Northern Wake Republican Club" and "trained as an Air Force mechanic."

Hill cites comments in this April 15 N&O article about how Losurdo supported the board majority. The mailer says "A vote for Losurdo = A vote for John Tedesco for Chair," accompanied by a picture of the two standing side by side.

Hill had avoided mentioning Losurdo in previous mailers. But he's now found himself facing a steady stream of attack ads from Losurdo, Civitas Action, the Northern Wake Republican Club and the state Republican Party. (I'll get around to posting these and the ones from Common Sense Matters and the N.C. Futures Action Fund too.)

UPDATE

I've put in a new higher-res image of the campaign mailer.