Name: LaKeshia M Alston

Age: 40

Party affiliation: Republican

Campaign website: www.lakeshiamalstonsenate.net

Occupation & employer: manufacturing adecco

Years lived in the area: 40

1. What in your background qualifies you to represent the people of your North Carolina district effectively? What would you cite as your three biggest career accomplishments? 

Everything I have done in my years studied as student in political science, nursing, education, esthetics, business accounting, taxes. My career as an educator for 11 years in Durham Public Schools, apprentice in politics, entrepreneurship with mentors who have had products sold on major platforms, experience in manufacturing. My life as a mother who has lived the middle class life as well as the life of the less fortunate, enduring the challenge of reestablishing my economic social status back to middle working class as single mother. Just to truly understand the plights and prejudice against some of our residents. This has fortified my curation of a formula, on how to bring the City of Durham, off the brinks of rehabilitation through regentrification, into a nation of wealth on the east cost. 

2. What do you believe to be the three most pressing issues facing the next General Assembly? What steps do you believe the state should take to address them?

One there has been a lack of a Senator who will help them raise their awareness of harnessing the amendments to addendum acts and articles, to pass bills that will are efficient and a readily resource for our citizens. Second is the support of a Senator that encourages them and motivates them to continue to progress as they are meeting the needs of what our residents need and want. Thirdly that sometimes we are going to actually have to put in overtime to restructure the systematic way of how to produce articles that will, help prosper the passing of bills that are more beneficial for our citizens. 

3. Federal cuts to Medicaid are expected to cost the state $50 billion over the next decade, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. How would you address Medicaid funding to maintain coverage for the millions of North Carolinians enrolled?

I believe that Medicaid expected cuts are due to the fact that most of our private and public networks decline the acceptance of this insurance due to lack of payment. I believe that the cuts to Medicaid should be redistributed amongst insurance companies that are credible with reputable payouts as service is provided. 

4. The General Assembly has voted to put a constitutional amendment on ballots that, if passed, would put a cap on property tax increases. Do you support the amendment? Why or why not?

Yes, I believe there should be a cap on property tax, as not to exploit the citizens rights to afford the land they live on. If property taxes are not regulated with margins, the adverse result, leaves volatile living circumstance, migration to other cities; where development once was, now the particular city would be worn down. Thus the question the mental capacity of representation of the city and residents risk the steaks, of our town being labeled as least recommended to live. I am for capping property tax. When we speak on commercial tax I also believe in a tax recess with a slide in fee to create endowment funds for those properties who have be actively occupying and leasing.

5. How would you address the rising costs of housing, childcare, and basic necessities facing North Carolina families?

On my agenda as I help streamline these cost, excavating the middle man of import of lumber, supplies for building homes, and production of daily toiletries and basic necessities, is a called for premise. 

With the Aesthetic Cosmetic Industrial Research Sanction, FDA laboratories and office, the manufacture and approval of everything we need is accessible in our city. Consequently the promotion of childcare vouchers will increase for working families. Reworking the scale of affordability with distribution of vouchers.

Tariffs on imports and exports as we do business with outside countries, will help encourage our resident citizens, that I, LaKeshia M Alston, is reenforcing the realization, that we have the mechanisms and infostructure to produce everything we need, here in the city Durham, NC. As I am elected Senator, refocusing the aperture of trajectory, concerning the wealth of our nation begins with the “city of medicine.” Maximizing the utilization of RTP, top rated Universities and Hospitals. Repurposing Durham Housing Authority as a compartment to help facilitate funding for housing for our Teachers and Staff with new homes, condominiums, and apartments. Increasing the allotment of of affordable homes designated for low income residents, and actually auditing their funnel of wait listed citizens. 

6. Climate disasters are intensifying: Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina in 2024, Tropical Storm Chantal flooded the Triangle in 2025, and coastal erosion threatens the Outer Banks. With much affordable housing located in flood-prone areas and FEMA resources stretched thin, what is your plan for climate resilience and disaster relief?

Climate resilience and disaster relief calls for my attention to create codes where artificial levees are sanctioned in those areas where tropical storms have caused much damage. Insurance sanction on land survey where all levees are created equally according to the land demographic structures. No levee wars. This means that the storm water and erosion department will have to do more studies and research on how to create nets, vegetation, and drainage system to help prevent erosion. The drainage system will then also be an avenue to help funnel the tunnel to produce electricity by way of small circuit currents to the SNAP Scientist Network for Advancing Policy. Using the question of how to take a storm and turn it into power supply. Also surveying land where agriculture for vegetation is able to be cultivated for farmers, channeling some of the storm water through parts of that region. Hopefully this will keep FEMA resources intact. 

7. The General Assembly recently passed a new congressional redistricting map. This marks the state’s seventh congressional map since 2016. How do you view the most recent redistricting? And do you support independent redistricting processes, or do you believe the legislature should retain this power? 

The congressional redistricting map although we keep redistricting is good for our city. The redistricting purpose is to help spread aboard the distribution of everything we have access to, including broadening our territory to inherit more funds for our residents. Yes the legislature should retain this power. In my theory of sentiment “Nothing laying dormant”.

8. North Carolina ranks near the bottom nationally in teacher pay. How would you address teacher compensation, and what will you do to ensure a budget passes that adequately funds education?

“Unionization of teachers. Regulate bonus and pay raise based on individual classroom performance also gives teachers stock options. The rank I feel has increased to the lowest due to public sectors lack of appropriately allocating funds for school and curriculum needs.

As I can say that I am a product of both public and private school education, and a retired educator. This voting season; the propose bill will, be to balance, the unequivocal funding for private schools and charter schools, with the incentive of making test score results available to the public for comparison. Follow through is imperative as holding the SBE to strict constraints of fund distribution. Encouraging teachers to stay with the incentive of bonus for vestment and loyalty to a specific school after 5 years.”

9. North Carolina currently has a 12-week abortion ban with certain exceptions. Some legislators have proposed further restrictions. Do you support the current law, believe access should be expanded, or would you support further restrictions?

I support the current set in place for the ban with certain exceptions. I do not believe access should be expanded unless life or death decisions.

10. Federal legislation will ban most hemp-derived THC products, like Delta-8, by December 2026, threatening North Carolina’s hemp industry. Meanwhile, recreational marijuana remains illegal and medical marijuana bills have stalled. What is your position on hemp regulation and would you address the upcoming federal ban, if at all?

Recreational marijuana should remain illegal and medical marijuana bills should be discussed limiting the stagnation of limbo for patients that are prescribed this herb as a remedy. I believe the ban on most hemp-derived THC products as Delta-8 is used for a example is due to authenticating laboratory authenticity. The tax on imports and the lack of scientific proof of its sustenance. This further more emphasizes the need for the city of Durham, NC FDA Laboratories and Office and the Aesthetic Cosmetic Industrial Research Sanction to test approve and produce medical hemp for prescription and recreation.

11. Iryna’s Law eliminates cashless bail, requires mental health evaluations for certain defendants, and attempts to restart the death penalty by requiring alternative execution methods if lethal injection is unavailable. The law also accelerates death penalty appeals. Where do you stand on the death penalty and these criminal justice reforms?

I believe in the death penalty. This a penalty that will help the promotion of stopping gun violence and hate crimes. Iryna’s Law is very necessary for those defendants, as they need to have expedient representation from a court provided attorney or one that they will have on their own. 

12. Tech companies are investing heavily in North Carolina data centers, bringing tax revenue but also consuming significant electricity and water resources. How should the state balance data center investment with environmental protection and community concerns?

“Rezoning the lines of electric current flow amongst the two other electric companies will help to alleviate cost for consumers. To cut costs for citizens, I would collaborate with Duke Energy to give a yearly subsidy to customers that will help when they choose to use it at their convenience. Realistically the data centers we have will allow our city to run more efficiently, dividing some of the allocation of energy re-zone to be drawn out, producing less strain on supply sources. This zone equation will ultimately help to cut costs. When trying to consolidate the cost of electric plants and producing solar equipment that will be more efficient to residents/customers and corporations, cooperation is necessary.”

13. Give an example of an opinion, policy, vote or action you changed based on constituent feedback. If you have not yet held elected office, describe a time when you changed your position on an issue after listening to those affected by it.

My journey to campaign for Senator of District 22 has converted me from Democrat to Republican. In my daily conversations with the citizens of Durham, NC has made them began to rethink their political party affiliation and now considering all the reasons to vote Republican. My aims, ideals, and goals, align with the Republican Party. After experiencing life with majority Democratic leadership as I was a teacher and our needs being ignored and grazed over with a little raise, working manufacturing, studying the science of esthetics and previously nursing studies before I actually decided on Political Science with a minor in psychology, being an entrepreneur and having to source materials and products outside of the country. Realizing the capabilities of what we have in the city that I am native to. Realizing that I need to dismantle the veil of illusions, that has been placed over the eyes of the citizens that reside here in Durham, NC, I gathered all life had to offer and I made some sense of it. I listened intently to our elders concerns, experienced the teacher hurt, and realize the value of what its worth to hold position. This has gave me the wisdom to bring resolution to the city of Durham, NC. Creating bills that prosper the citizens.

14. Are there any issues this questionnaire has not addressed that you would like to address?