When Heidi Becker registered to run as a Republican in the upcoming race for the District 72 seat in the Georgia House of Representatives, she knew there would be questions.

After all, she had been the founder of the Fayette County Democratic Women group and served for several months as the president of the Georgia Federation of Democratic Women.

In a statement she issued announcing her candidacy last week, Becker omitted any references to her Democratic Party background.

Becker said Friday that her father was a Democrat, so it seemed natural to start up the local group. But ultimately she resigned both positions — from the local Democratic Women after about a year, and she dropped out of political involvement for several years.

“I decided to step back from political affiliation for a few years, and when I came back it was as a Republican,” Becker said.

Becker said she has voted for local Republican candidates also.

“I feel like the older I get the more conservative my views are,” Becker said. “It felt like there was a great difference between my values and the views of my party.”

Becker said she agreed that questions about her party affiliation are “legitimate.”

The seat was vacated by the death of Dan Lakly, and the special election is slated for Tuesday, Dec. 18.

Becker is facing former Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown, attorney Matt Ramsey on the Republican side and Democrat Kevin Madden, who lost to Lakly in the most recent regular election. All four will be listed with their party affiliations on the otherwise non-partisan ballot.