A new poll from Public Policy Polling, a Democrat-leaning firm based in Raleigh, suggests that Triangle voters don’t like how the Wake County school diversity fight is affecting the state’s image.

The poll released on Thursday indicates that 51 percent of Triangle voters have an unfavorable view of the Wake school board compared to 29 percent who have a favorable view. The poll also found that 56 percent of Triangle voters feel the Wake school board is giving North Carolina a bad image, compared to 22 percent who think it is giving the state a good image.

Statewide, the poll found that 61 percent of voters didn’t know enough about the situation in Wake to have an opinion. But of those who did, 25 percent rated the school board unfavorably and 30 percent thought it was giving the state a bad image.

A group of local Democrats gave $22,000 in their unsuccessful last-minute TV ad against school board candidates Debra Goldman, Chris Malone and Deborah Prickett.

In this campaign finance report filed this week by Wake Citizens for Good Government, Democratic pollster Dean Debnam turned out to be the main financial backer. He donated $4,000 and loaned $6,000. The loan was repaid.

Democratic political strategist Ken Eudy and National Education Association Executive Director John Wilson both gave $4,000.

See for yourself the new TV ad that's been making some waves in the school board campaign.

(Once again, thank you to Ben Niolet for his technical help in posting the video online.)

A new television ad appearing on WRAL is attacking three of the school board candidates, warning that backing neighborhood schools will lead to higher property taxes.

The ad, from a group called Wake Citizens for Good Government, attacks three of the four candidates backed by the Wake Schools Community Alliance: Chris Malone, Deborah Prickett and Debra Goldman. But it doesn't go after John Tedesco, who is also backed by the WSCA but isn't facing a Democratic Party endorsed opponent.

Here's the text of the ad:

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST ON WHO'S BEHIND THE AD