Lakeshia M. Alston (also known as LaKeshia Mashonda Ruddi Alston) is a Republican candidate for the North Carolina State Senate representing District 22, which covers parts of Durham County.
She filed to run on December 17, 2025, and secured the GOP nomination unopposed after the Republican primary on March 3, 2026, was canceled due to lack of other candidates.
She will face Democratic incumbent Sophia Chitlik (and potentially primary challenger DeDreana Freeman if Freeman wins her primary) in the general election on November 3, 2026.
Her candidacy has sparked significant controversy, primarily due to her recent switch from the Democratic Party—she was registered as a Democrat and voted in Democratic primaries from at least 2008 through 2024, only changing her affiliation to Republican two days before the filing deadline. Critics, including conservative media and social media users, have labeled her a "RINO" (Republican In Name Only) or a potential "Trojan horse" infiltrator, questioning her motives and authenticity as a conservative. Additional scrutiny has focused on her wearing a niqab (face veil), which some view as a symbol of Islamic supremacism or incompatible with Republican values, especially in a heavily Democratic, progressive district like NC-22 (which leaned about 86% Democratic in 2024, with no GOP candidate running that year). The Durham County Board of Elections initially posted, then removed, her filing photo showing her in a niqab, leading to public backlash and memes.In public statements and speeches, Alston has described herself as having "matured" into Republican values, stating, "I am a Republican... I am matured in my own revelation of what the Republican Party represents and it looks like me." However, videos of her speaking (e.g., at Union Baptist Church's Social Justice Ministry) have been criticized for being incoherent or rambling, with mentions of supporting immigration growth through "right legislation" and judges ruling against "social injustice" with compassion—positions some see as aligned with progressive ideals.On X (formerly Twitter), discussions about Alston are largely negative from conservative users, accusing her of being an Islamist plant or highlighting the North Carolina GOP's failure to vet candidates or close primaries to prevent such scenarios. Calls for investigations or party intervention are common, though no official GOP endorsement or disavowal has been reported as of now. District 22 is considered a safe Democratic seat, so her general election prospects are low, but the episode has fueled broader debates about party security and candidate integrity.
https://ballotpedia.org/Lakeshia_Alston
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article313803309.html
Believe me, I know how you feel. It's very disheartening to see my once great state being destroyed by the influx of non-natve hordes.
You should run.