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 Christine Kushner raised more than $50,000 in her bid to win the District 6 seat.

In her final 2011 report filed Wednesday, Kushner reported raising $51,343.47 and spending $37,123.21. This leaves the Democrat with $14,220.26 that she can use to donate to other groups or to prepare for a future campaign run.

Her main opponent, Republican Donna Williams, raised $48.335.96.

The latest campaign finance reports show even more how much of a role liberal activist Dean Debnam played to get a new Democratic majority elected to the Wake County school board.

This year-end report filed Friday by Wake Citizens for Good Government, which was formed by Debnam in 2009, shows the PAC donated $25,000 during the school board campaign.

The biggest chunk of $10,000 went to the N.C. Democratic Party, whose final report isn't viewable yet but is expected to show something was spent in Wake on the school board races.

Wake County school board member Keith Sutton raised more than $30,000 during his lopsided election win in District 4 last fall.

In Sutton's final campaign report filed Thursday, the Democratic-backed candidate reported raising $33,327 and spending $32,484.31. His Republican challenger, Venita Peyton, hasn't filed her final report yet. But she had reported raising $1,280 as of Sept. 26.

Sutton's report seems to be missing some info. He reports having raised $5,500 from other political committees on his summary page. But the actual page listing this contribution or contributions isn't included.

Mack Paul announced today that he’s resigning as chairman of the Wake County Democratic Party.

Paul, who has been chairman since September 2010, said he’s stepping down as of Dec. 31 to refocus on his family and his legal work. He said also wants work on the statewide and Presidential races next year.

His tenure is ending with Democrats regaining the majority on the Wake County school board and the party’s candidates winning the mayoral races in Raleigh and Cary and several Raleigh City Council contests.

Wake County Democratic Party Chairman Mack Paul is calling Tuesday's election results "truly a victory for all of us in Wake" and "the beginning of the end of the Tea Party movement."

In an email message today to Democrats, Paul thanks his party members for their efforts in the school board races and the municipal elections. He also touts the success of the well-funded coordinated campaign that the party used this year to boost get-out-the-vote efforts for its candidates.

"Kevin Hill's victory seals the deal on the Wake County Board of Education," Paul writes. "For the first time in two years, we will have consensus driven, sensible, pragmatic, principled and experienced leaders in the majority. They will work to deliver plans and policies that make sense for all of our children."

Wake County Democratic Party Chairman Mack Paul is telling his members today that they "can complete the job begun October 11 when voters rejected Ron Margiotta and John Tedesco's vision for education."

In an email message today to Democrats, Paul urges District 3 voters to go to the polls to back Kevin Hill. He asks people who aren't eligible to vote "to call or email five friends who can and encourage them to head to the polls."

"Today, in North Raleigh, we can complete the job begun October 11 when voters rejected Ron Margiotta and John Tedesco's vision for education," Paul writes. "With a vote for Kevin Hill, we can finally end the division and rancor of the last two years and move our schools forward once again.

Voters will be able to say that they value 35 years of education experience, principled leadership and a real vision for our schools when they vote for Kevin Hill."

Pat McCrory, the former Charlotte mayor and likely Republican gubernatorial candidate next year, has endorsed Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo.

In a robocall today McCrory is making to voters today, he asks voters to "reject untrue, negative personal attacks, and vote on the serious issues." He also says that Losurdo "is the only candidate committed to this non-partisan (student assignment) plan moving schools forward."

Here's the text of the robocall:

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST FOR DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE TO MCCRORY'S ROBOCALL

Wake County school board member Kevin Hill and challenger Heather Losurdo got into some spirited discussions during their joint appearance on WRAL's "On the Record" show.

The discussion opened with Losurdo saying her resume is "contextually accurate." She said she was offended that people would say that someone like her with her military background and organizational and communications skills couldn't do the job of overseeing $2 billion in small business loans.

The topic then moved to the recently adopted student assignment plan.

On this Halloween, the Wake County Democratic Party is talking about the "crazy tricks that the Republicans are breaking out in the final days" before the Nov. 8 school board runoff election.

In a newsletter today, Wake Democrats dispute the contention in Saturday's Wake County Republican Party newsletter that Susan Evans and Jim Martin "burst into a meeting with the Superintendent and raised havoc." Democrats say in the newsletter that "they had a reasonable discussion with the Superintendent and his team" on student assignment.

Democrats also complain that the GOP criticized board member Kevin Hill for accepting the endorsement of the AFL-CIO, "made up of our school's custodians and other hard working staffers."

But Democrats charge that the GOP's "biggest trick is trying to convince people that Kevin Hill wants to take us back to the policies of the past." They contend that the "the Wake GOP, and Heather Losurdo, have lied time and time again about Kevin's statements and votes."