Unopposed Candidate Wearing Niqab Becomes GOP Nominee for North Carolina State Senate Seat

Lakeshia Alston secures Republican nomination automatically after no primary challengers filed for the Durham-area legislative race.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

A candidate who drew national attention for campaign imagery showing her wearing a niqab has become the Republican nominee for a North Carolina State Senate seat after running unopposed in the party’s primary.

Lakeshia Alston secured the GOP nomination for North Carolina’s District 22 State Senate race after being listed as a candidate shortly before the filing deadline, according to records from the Durham County Board of Elections available here.

Because no other Republican candidates filed for the race, the primary election was canceled under North Carolina election rules, making Alston the automatic nominee.

Ballotpedia confirmed that Alston will appear on the ballot as the Republican candidate in the November 3, 2026 general election, according to information published here.

Alston first gained widespread attention after campaign materials showing her wearing a niqab circulated online. The garment covers the wearer’s face except for the eyes.

An earlier profile published by the Daily Caller reported on the campaign and included an interview with Alston discussing her views and candidacy. The report is available here.

The outlet noted that Alston had previously cast ballots for Democratic candidates during the 2024 election cycle, according to voting records cited in reporting by the New York Post, which can be viewed here.

During the interview, Alston addressed questions about her political views and the evolution of her affiliation with the Republican Party.

“I am a Republican… I am matured in my own revelation of what the Republican Party represents and it looks like me,” Alston said in remarks captured in an interview clip posted on X, which can be viewed here.

The Daily Caller interview also included several statements in which Alston used the phrase “I am down for ISIS” while discussing immigration enforcement. She said the comments referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“I am down for ISIS. The police tell you that you gotta freeze. You have to stop. I can’t go on to another country without a passport,” Alston said during the interview.

The interview included additional remarks in which she repeated similar wording while describing interactions involving immigration enforcement.

The candidacy has also circulated widely on social media. A post on X highlighting Alston’s nomination and previous voting record can be viewed here.

District 22 is based in Durham and has historically leaned Democratic in statewide and legislative elections.

Alston is scheduled to face Democratic incumbent state Sen. Sophia Chitlik in the November general election, according to candidate information listed here.