Democrat voter in Islamic-like face cover wins unopposed GOP primary for North Carolina Senate: ‘I’m converted as a Republican’

A North Carolina woman used the sign-off “Transforming the Masses” when responding to questions about her candidacy.

LaKeshia Mashonda Ruddi Alston was the lone Republican candidate for North Carolina state Senate District 22 and will face Democrat Sophia Chitlik in the midterms in November.

‘[W]hen I was a child, I thought as a child.’

Alston ran unopposed and shocked readers by posing for her board of elections photo wearing a niqab-style head cover, revealing only her eyes. The headdress is typically part of an Islamic garb for women. However, the Facebook account for the Durham County Board of Elections posted a second photo that showed her face, saying that Alston requested an additional photo.

Despite running as a Republican, Alston has reportedly voted for Democrat candidates in the past, twice in 2012 and once in 2024. She told the Daily Caller News Foundation that her party switch came as she matured.

“[W]hen I was a child, I thought as a child, but as I matured. I’m converted as a Republican. In order to form a more Perfect Union,” Alston said in an email.

The outlet noted that Alston signed her email with the phrase “Transforming the Masses.”

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Photo by Durham County Board of Elections

With a population of about 200,000 as of 2020, the district has been dominated by Democrats for more than a decade. This started with Democrat Mike Woodard winning in 2012 by more than 30 points. He remained in office until he was unseated by fellow Democrat Chitlik in the 2024 primary. Chitlik won the general election by almost 72 points over a Libertarian opponent that year.

Although Republicans had previously controlled the district, a redistricting in 2011 changed the map to include the more Democrat-leaning Durham County.

Durham County has voted for Democrats all but twice in presidential elections as far as history can tell, dating back to 1920, when the county voted for Democrat Governor of Ohio James M. Cox.

In 1928, the county voted for Republican President Herbert Hoover, then in 1972 for Republican President Richard Nixon. The county has not voted red since and last supported Vice President Kamala Harris with over 144,000 votes, giving President Donald Trump just under 33,000 votes.

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Readers on Facebook were not shy about letting their opinions be heard in reaction to Alston’s photos, with one calling the candidate a “devil in disguise.”

A woman named Ronda said that “changing parties seems to be the trend” in North Carolina, while Shana pointed out that the candidate is a “‘Republican’ who has been voting Democrat since 2008.”

Elizabeth added, “Any face cover should be banned,” and 23 people agreed with her sentiment.

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