The Wake County Democratic Party outspent the Wake County Republican Party by more than two to one last year to help win the pivotal school board battle.

While it's hard to say how much was specifically spent on the Wake County school board races, the campaign finance reports would suggest that the Democrats were more active in getting their candidates elected. For instance, Democrats had a target of $80,000 in their get-out-the-vote efforts for the October races.

According to their year-end report, the Wake County Democratic Party received $176,227.18 and spent $183,252.88. According to their year-end report, the Wake County Republican Party raised $81,965.98 and spent $83.089.33.

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.

Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo has raised a record total of more than $80,000 in her bid to unseat incumbent Kevin Hill.

New campaign finance reports made public today show that Losurdo had reported raising $82,357 through Oct. 24. The prior record was the $79,500 that conservative businessman Bob Luddy had raised, largely out of his own pocket, in his unsuccessful run for the school board in 1997.

Hill’s new report shows he’s raised $42,748 through Oct 24. While Hill has almost half of Losurdo’s total, outside groups not connected to his campaign have spent tens of thousands of dollars on mailers and television ads attacking Losurdo.

SEE END OF POST FOR REACTIONS FROM BOTH CAMPAIGNS

You had skunk wars outside Durant Road Elementary School this afternoon.

When Progress NC Action showed up outside Durant this afternoon with their skunk-wearing mascot (near left, outside the Wake County board of elections building in Downtown Raleigh), they saw another person had beat them to the site. This person was also wearing a skunk suit  (right), and holding up a sign saying "Tell Liberals Forced Busing Stinks" on one one side and "Tell Kevin Hill Forced Busing Stinks" on the other.

Jeff Morse, a Republican Party activist, said he decided on his own and separate from Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo's campaign to counter the liberal advocacy group's actions. Morse said he paid for the suit rental and found someone to put on the outfit.

If you want to see for yourself, look for both skunks at 5 p.m. when Progress NC Action takes the "Stinky Tea Campaign Tour" to the Northern Wake Republican Club's meeting at Sutton Square Shopping Center.

Photos: T. KEUNG HUI - keung.hui@newsobserver.com, left, JEFF MORSE, right

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.

If you didn't think this Wake County school board campaign could get any weirder, now we've got the "Stinky Tea Campaign Tour."

Progress NC Action announced tonight that "Stinky Tea," a person wearing a skunk outfit, will travel around District 3 on Thursday to "warn against the toxic Tea Party take-over of Wake County Schools."

The "tour" will end with Stinky Tea showing up at the Northern Wake Republican Club meeting, where school board candidate Heather Losurdo is expected to be an attendee at a meet the candidates event.

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST

Ron Margiotta has become only the third person to have raised more than $50,000 in a Wake County school board race.

A new campaign finance report filed this week shows that the incumbent board chairman had raised $52,748.31 as of Sept. 26. He has $31,915.55 on hand in the District 8 race.

Margiotta leads Susan Evans, who had raised $37,524.69 as of Sept. 26 with $21,770.23 on hand. But you also have to keep in mind the thousands of dollars spent by outside groups urging people to support Evans or vote against Margiotta.

Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo holds the clear fundraising lead for the District 3 seat.

New campaign reports filed this week show that Losurdo had raised $40,244.55 as of Sept. 26 with $9,522.60 on hand. School board member Kevin Hill reported raising $24,055 with $12,570.69 on hand. Jennifer Mansfield is well behind with $5,802.19 raised and $2,513.18 on hand.

Some of the disparity between Losurdo and Hill is mitigated by the spending that outside groups have put into the race attacking her.

Wake County school board candidate Cynthia Matson is still at a serious fundraising disadvantage in the District 5 race.

Matson's latest campaign finance report, filed Friday, shows she had raised $8,517.10 as of Sept. 26 with $2,132.38 on hand. Jim Martin had already raised more than $26,000 through the end of August.

The biggest donor in the new report was the $500 from the Northern Wake Republican Club. She also got donations from Raleigh City Council candidate Brian Tinga's campaign committee, the Western Wake Republican Club, Wake County school board member John Tedesco and Wake County Commissioner Tony Gurley.

Bob Luddy's earlier $4,000 donation covers close to half of her campaign war chest. Click here for Matson's latest report.

How much would you pay to have dinner with Wake County school board chairman Ron Margiotta, school board vice chairman John Tedesco or school board candidate Heather Losurdo?

The Northern Wake Republican Club is auctioning dinner with all three people through Aug. 23 to raise money for its Paint the Town Red Gala. Organizers say the individual value of each of the meals is "priceless."

As of early Friday evening, the bidding was up to $25 for a home cooked dinner for two with Margiotta in a NWRC member's home.

CORRECTED LUNCH REFERENCES TO SAY DINNER