Get to Know Charlotte’s 2025 Republican City Council Candidates
Charlotte voters will face a familiar split-screen this September: a city where Democrats dominate the mayor’s office and City Council, and a slate of Republican candidates aiming to break through in districts and at-large seats. In a city that hasn’t elected a Republican mayor since 2007, the GOP bench for 2025 mixes seasoned incumbents, political returnees, and first-time contenders with deep private-sector ties.
The municipal primary is September 9, 2025, with early voting from August 21 to September 6. This guide profiles all five Republican candidates for Charlotte City Council — their backgrounds, records, policy priorities, and the political realities they face.
At-Large Candidates
Edwin Peacock III
Edwin Peacock III is hardly a new face in Charlotte politics. A lifelong Charlottean and Myers Park High School graduate, Peacock’s public service career began in District 6, where he served on City Council from 2011 to 2015. He left that seat for a mayoral run, losing narrowly to Democrat Patrick Cannon in 2013 and later running against incumbent Jennifer Roberts in 2015. He also briefly entered the 9th Congressional District race in 2016.
Professionally, Peacock has a long tenure in financial services, working as a wealth adviser with The Peacock Network, a Northwestern Mutual affiliate. His civic resume includes stints with the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, Charlotte Rotary, and the Charlotte Chamber.
In January 2025, Peacock was appointed back to Council to fill the unexpired District 6 term after Tariq Bokhari’s resignation. That appointment wasn’t without controversy; some council members criticized the speed of the process and its lack of public input. Now seeking an at-large seat, Peacock emphasizes fiscal discipline, neighborhood engagement, and keeping Charlotte competitive in business recruitment. His record on council includes support for balanced budgets, targeted infrastructure investment, and cautious approaches to large-scale development incentives.
Contact: Campaign website and officeholder page (linked in Election 2025 Coverage).
Misun Kim
Businesswoman and political outsider Misun Kim returns to the ballot after a 2023 mayoral run in which she placed third in the Republican primary. Kim has built a career in commercial real estate and as an owner of several small businesses. She is bilingual in Korean and English and has been active in church-based community outreach.
In 2023, her campaign messaging centered on cutting red tape for small business, boosting public safety, and addressing homelessness through private-public partnerships. In 2025, those themes remain, now targeted toward an at-large role. Kim’s mayoral bid was notable for its grassroots flavor but limited in infrastructure; fundraising lagged behind better-known opponents, and name recognition remains a challenge outside certain business networks.
Her platform calls for reducing regulatory barriers, prioritizing economic growth corridors, and expanding support for police and fire services. Critics have noted her lack of prior government experience; supporters counter that this makes her less beholden to entrenched political blocs.
Contact: Campaign Facebook page and candidate listing in Election 2025 Coverage.
District 6 Candidates
Krista Bokhari
Krista Bokhari, a former marketing director and community volunteer, steps into the race to represent the same district once held by her husband, Tariq Bokhari, a two-term Republican known for his combative style on council. Krista’s bid comes months after Tariq resigned and the council appointed Edwin Peacock to finish his term.
She has criticized the handling of that appointment, framing it as an example of opaque process and council insiders consolidating power. Her campaign themes include public safety — with calls for more police presence in high-traffic retail and residential zones — as well as targeted transportation upgrades in South Charlotte. She also advocates for stronger transparency requirements in city contracting.
Bokhari’s critics question whether her campaign is an extension of her husband’s political brand; she argues her platform is independently built and grounded in her own professional and civic experiences.
Contact: Candidate contact info in Election 2025 Coverage.
Sary Chakra
A Lebanese-American entrepreneur, Sary Chakra owns multiple businesses in real estate and infrastructure, including Carolina Prime Developers LLC and Sary Enterprises LLC. Her professional background includes stormwater construction projects and HOA leadership, giving her a direct stake in land use, zoning, and maintenance issues. Public filings show involvement in both residential and commercial development ventures.
Chakra’s platform is specific and business-like:
- Public Safety: Increase funding for police staffing and neighborhood patrols.
- Infrastructure: Prioritize roadway repair, stormwater management, and transit improvements.
- Fiscal Responsibility: Limit new tax increases, seek efficiency audits for city departments.
- Zoning & Development: Promote balanced growth to maintain affordability.
- Transparency: Strengthen disclosure rules for council members and contractors.
She has also been involved in neighborhood advocacy, particularly on flood mitigation and traffic congestion. Opponents have pointed to legal disputes involving her companies; she maintains these are standard for developers and do not reflect on her fitness for office.
Contact: Campaign email and business links in Election 2025 Coverage.
District 7 Candidate
Ed Driggs
Ed Driggs has represented District 7 since 2013 and is one of council’s most experienced members. With a degree in economics from Princeton University and service in the U.S. Army, Driggs spent more than three decades in corporate finance, including roles with JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America.
On council, Driggs has chaired the Transportation, Planning, and Environment Committee and served on the Budget and Effectiveness Committee. He played a central role in negotiating the Unified Development Ordinance’s revisions and has consistently pushed for transportation investments, including road expansions in fast-growing southeast Charlotte.
Driggs’ approach is pragmatic; he’s known for working across the aisle, especially on fiscal matters. His priorities include maintaining a conservative approach to debt, expanding infrastructure to match growth, and safeguarding city reserves. Supporters value his institutional knowledge; critics sometimes accuse him of moving too cautiously on urgent projects.
Driggs has faced occasional controversy over remarks critics perceived as dismissive, but he has generally weathered political storms through constituent service and committee leadership.
Contact: Official council page and reelection materials in Election 2025 Coverage.
The Republican Equation in Charlotte
Republicans in Charlotte are navigating a political environment where voter registration, demographic trends, and recent results favor Democrats citywide. The GOP’s opportunities lie in lower-turnout primaries, competitive southeastern districts, and leveraging dissatisfaction with specific city policies.
At-large races present a steeper climb: in 2023, no Republican cracked the top four in at-large voting, though incumbency and name recognition could help Peacock and Kim.
Voter Information
- Primary Election: September 9, 2025
- Early Voting: August 21 – September 6, 2025
- Poll Dance 2025; Join the Dance — our rolling coverage of every candidate, every district, and the civic theater in between.
About the Author
Jack Beckett writes with one hand on the keyboard and the other clamped around a coffee cup big enough to qualify for its own zoning classification. His beat is local governance; his hobby is keeping the caffeine budget higher than the city’s stormwater reserve fund.
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Creative Commons License
© 2025 Strolling Ballantyne / The Charlotte Mercury
This article, “Charlotte’s 2025 Republican City Council Candidates: Full Profiles and Policy Positions,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Charlotte’s 2025 Republican City Council Candidates: Full Profiles and Policy Positions”
by Jack Beckett, The Charlotte Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)
