The Wake County Republican Party is revving up its members "to finish the job" and elect John Tedesco in the District 2 school board runoff race.

In a press release sent Tuesday, Wake GOP Chairman Claude Pope Jr. says they need to "work extra hard to ensure the new school board will have the critical new leadership to bring back neighborhood schools and stop the costly busing policy which keeps critical resources from getting to disadvantaged schools."

The Wake County Democratic Party didn't officially endorse anyone in District 2 because only Republicans and one Libertarian were on the ballot. But some individual Democrats are rallying around Cathy Truitt now.

School board candidates Rita Rakestraw, Karen Simon and Lois Nixon are getting a last-minute campaign boost from the Wake County Democratic Party.

In this mailer that should reach people's homes today, the Democratic Party is urging people to vote for the candidates it has endorsed in Tuesday's school board and municipal races.

"Will we continue to have diverse and economically balanced schools that have contributed so much to our community's economic and academic success?" says the mailer. "Or will we follow Charlotte and abandon diversity, spending tens of millions more tax dollars a year to prop up failing schools?"

The Wake County Republican Party is speaking out again on the school board races and the other municipal elections next week.

In the press release, GOP Chairman Claude Pope Jr. says he's disputing Sunday's N&O column by Rob Christensen that off-year races are designed to be dull. The press release comes right after Wake County Democratic Party Chairman Jack Nichols accused school board critics of being led by the GOP.

Here's the press release:

Pretty much everyone can agree that this year's school board elections offer critics one of their best chances in recent memory to make major gains.

But as noted in today's article, there's dispute over just where critics are coming from. Is it, as claimed by Wake Democratic Party Chairman Jack Nichols, a campaign being orchestrated by the Republicans to seize control of the school board?

"Other than the Wake Republican Party, are there other groups who have endorsed those candidates?" Nichols said. "No one."

Lois Nixon was the only person to file today to run for the school board.

In her press release today for the District 9 seat, Nixon touted her experience as an education and "award-winning community leader." So far, Chapel Hill educator Ray Martin is the only other candidate who has filed, although a third person backed by the Wake Schools Community Alliance hasn't filed yet.

Nixon said her priority "is to focus on improving the achievement of every student — the high achievers, as well as those who struggle with academics, and she wants to engage the community to help all children succeed."

Wake Democrats and Republicans are getting into the act for this fall's school board races.

Wake County Republican Party Chairman Claude Pope fired the first shot in April when he announced the GOP "will vigorously support School Board candidates who actively support the concept of neighborhood schools."

The Wake County Democratic Party is gearing up as well now to back candidates who would largely preserve current school board policies.

CORRECTION

Changed Prickett's voter status to unaffiliated from independent.

Will a large candidate field help Horace Tart's bid to stay on the school board?

That's Tart's thinking as it looks like there could be four or more candidates vying for the District 2 seat that includes Fuquay-Varina, Garner and Willow Spring.

Tart, a builder and developer, likes his chances because three of his opponents will probably be from Garner while he's from Fuquay-Varina. Sectional loyalties have been a longtime issue in District 2.