The race for North Carolina’s 22nd state Senate district has taken an unexpected turn, drawing attention well beyond the district lines. LaKeshia Mashonda Ruddi Alston, the sole Republican who filed for the seat, is generating buzz not just for her platform, but for her candidate photo featuring a Niqab-style face veil and a voting record that leans heavily Democratic until very recently.
Alston, who will face off against two Democratic challengers, has been a registered voter in Durham since 2008. While she is currently running on the GOP ticket, public filings reveal a recent history across the aisle.
Records show Alston voted for Democratic candidates twice in 2012 and as recently as 2024. Her first vote for a Republican candidate appeared in the October 2025 primary election.
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The candidacy has sparked frustration among some established GOP figures in the state.
Robert Burns, the mayor of Monroe, North Carolina, took to social media to highlight Alston’s photo and call for legislative changes. Burns argued that the situation highlights the need for stricter rules regarding party primaries.
“In all honesty, closing primaries is only one piece of the puzzle. We should also include extending out the date when you can flip your party as well,” Burns wrote on X. He warned that the state is seeing individuals run as Republicans who are indistinguishable from the “radical Democratic Party,” suggesting some candidates are “too soft and obviously are in it for themselves.”
“The real fix is that we need a concentrated effort from party leadership and informed voters to do a better job at filling seats with good people to run all around the state,” Burns added. “We should never let there be empty seats.”
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Under current North Carolina regulations, candidates must be affiliated with the party they wish to represent for at least 90 days before filing their notice of candidacy.
For voters, the state operates a semi-closed primary system: registered party members may only vote in their own party’s primary, while unaffiliated voters can choose which ballot to cast.
The North Carolina state Senate elections are scheduled for March 2026.
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