Monifa Drayton knocks off Vilma Leake in Mecklenburg District 2
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Monifa Drayton defeated Vilma Leake in unofficial results.
- Leake is a longtime incumbent seeking her tenth term.
- Drayton is a political strategist and former Mecklenburg County Democrats director.
First-time candidate Monifa Drayton defeated Vilma Leake in the District 2 Democratic primary for the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners Tuesday night.
In a hotel suite surrounded by her family and friends, Drayton eagerly looked at the results of her race just before 10 p.m.
“Look,” a supporter shouted, pointing to the screen. With 26 of 28 precincts reporting, she was up by more than 2 percentage points and headed toward taking a seat that had been held by Leake for 17 years.
Drayton turned away from the computer and fell to her knees. “I won,” she said through her tears. Friends erupted in cheers.
“It means the community has spoken, and it means we have a heck of a lot of work to do,” Drayton told The Charlotte Observer.
By the end of the night, Drayton’s lead over Leake settled at 51.9% of the vote compared with 48.1% for Leake. All precincts are reporting.
Leake, 91, has represented the west Charlotte area since 2008 and is seeking her 10th term. The incumbent had handily defeated every challenger through the years, winning her most recent primary in 2024 by 37 percentage points.
Local politics observers predicted Drayton could tighten that gap and present Leake’s biggest obstacle yet. Drayton is a political consulting entrepreneur and the former director of the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party. She spent most of her career as a health care administrator before diving into politics.
Drayton knew she faced an uphill battle heading into the election due to Leake’s widespread name recognition, but she said it was time for the longtime leader to pass the baton for fresh ideas.
“I think when you stay in a seat too long, you start to be more reactive versus strategic,” Drayton previously told The Charlotte Observer. “You start to lose the excitement and the innovation.”
Leake pushed back on that framing, arguing there is no need to fix what wasn’t broken.
“My question is, am I effective? Am I getting the job done? Nobody has ever said to me, ‘You need to go,’” Leake previously told the Observer. “My mind is good. My love for the people is still there.”
Leake is known for her hands-on leadership style and strong constituent services. Her phone is on 24/7, she said, and she always does what she can to find residents the answers they need.
She’s also known for her directness, which has led to dramatic clashes with her fellow commissioners.
Leake did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.
Drayton said running was a decision four years in the making. But she says she’s ready to serve all of District 2: those who voted for her and those who didn’t.
“I’m ready to serve.”
Drayton will face Republican Angela White Edwards in November.
Briah Lumpkins contributed to the reporting of this story.
This story was originally published March 3, 2026 at 8:45 PM.
