WASHINGTON (Nov 5): Democrat Ghazala Hashmi has made history by winning Virginia’s race for lieutenant governor, becoming the first Indian American and the first Muslim to hold statewide office in the Commonwealth.
Hashmi, a state senator representing a district south of Richmond, defeated Republican John Reid, a well-known broadcaster from the state capital. Her victory marks a new milestone in Virginia’s increasingly diverse political landscape — and further cements her place as one of the state’s most visible Democratic leaders.
In her victory speech Tuesday night, Hashmi thanked voters for “believing in a Virginia that embraces its diversity and its shared future.”
“As a daughter of immigrants and a lifelong educator, I know that our strength lies in learning from one another — and in ensuring opportunity for every Virginian,” she said to cheers.
Her win underscores both a generational and demographic shift in Virginia politics, which has swung sharply between parties in recent years. Hashmi first gained statewide prominence in 2019 when she flipped a Republican-held Senate seat, becoming the first Muslim woman elected to Virginia’s legislature.
As lieutenant governor, she will preside over the state Senate — which Democrats narrowly control — and help steer key legislation on education, healthcare, and climate policy.
Hashmi’s campaign focused heavily on expanding Medicaid, protecting abortion rights, improving public education, and investing in affordable housing. She also vowed to push for the repeal of Virginia’s Right to Work law, calling it “a relic that undermines workers’ rights.”
“Tonight, Virginia proved once again that our diversity is our greatest strength,” Hashmi said in her address. “We are not turning back — we are moving forward, together.”
Born in Hyderabad, India, and raised in Georgia, Hashmi earned a Ph.D. in American literature from Emory University. Before entering politics, she spent decades as an educator — teaching at the University of Richmond and later at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College, where she founded its Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
Her victory also positions her as a rising national figure within the Democratic Party and one of the most influential South Asian American politicians in the United States.