The sole Republican candidate for North Carolina’s 22nd State Senate District has caught attention due to wearing a niqab-style face veil in campaign photos and a history of voting Democratic in prior elections, all of which is now under scrutiny given her new Republican nomination.
Lakecia Mashonda Rudy Alston is a Republican candidate vying for the U.S. Senate seat in this district and is up against two Democratic opponents. Records indicate that, since 2008, Alston has cast ballots for Democratic candidates in 2012 and again in 2024, only opting for Republicans in the upcoming October 2025 primary.
In a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation, Alston expressed her transformation: “As a kid, I thought as a kid, but as I grew up… I am a converted Republican.” Interestingly, this shift occurred just a year after she was last seen voting Democratic.
Alston has not responded to further requests from the Daily Caller News Foundation regarding her candidacy.
In a related note, Robert Burns, the Mayor of Monroe, North Carolina, commented on Alston’s photo, suggesting it resonated with about 40,000 people who retweeted it. He remarked on the need for North Carolina lawmakers to implement legislation to close the state’s primary elections, calling it a solution to ongoing issues.
I call on all North Carolina General Assembly members to immediately pass legislation that would close North Carolina’s primary elections. That’s the fix for this problem. Make it happen!
— Robert Burns (@RobertBurns82) December 28, 2025
Burns also acknowledged that while closing the primary elections is vital, it should be part of a broader strategy that includes allowing more time for party affiliation changes. He noted that some Republicans have succeeded but are often indistinguishable from Democrats and suggested that party leadership should aim to fill seats with competent candidates.
On December 17, 2025, Laksisha M. Alston formally declared her candidacy for North Carolina’s 22nd State Senate District.
In North Carolina, registered party members are restricted to voting in their own party’s primaries, while independent voters can select which primary ballot they wish to pursue when filing with the North Carolina State Board of Elections. The Senate election is scheduled for March 2026.
