RICHMOND, Virginia — Democrat Ghazala Hashmi has made history by being elected as the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, becoming the first Muslim and South Asian American to hold the position in the state’s history.
According to U.S. media reports, the 61-year-old Democrat defeated her Republican opponent, John Reid, securing more than 55% of the vote compared to Reid’s 44%.
Hashmi, who announced her bid for Lieutenant Governor in 2024, had been seen as a strong contender throughout the campaign. In the Democratic primary held in June, she won decisively, defeating all five of her opponents to secure her party’s nomination.
A seasoned politician, Hashmi previously made history as the first Muslim and South Asian American elected to the Virginia State Senate.
Her political journey began in 2019, when she unseated Republican Senator Glen Sturtevant in the 10th District. She was re-elected in 2023 from the 15th District, winning over 60% of the vote against Republican candidate Hayden Fisher.
Born in Hyderabad, India, in 1964, Ghazala Hashmi moved to the United States with her mother and elder brother at the age of four, while her father was completing his PhD in International Relations. She earned her undergraduate degree from Georgia Southern University and a PhD in American Literature from Emory University in Atlanta.
Hashmi and her husband, Azhar—who hails from Pakistan—settled in Richmond in 1991, where she spent over three decades as a professor. The couple has two daughters.
As a state senator, Hashmi has been a vocal advocate for education, environmental protection, gun control, affordable housing, and healthcare reform. She also introduced the Right to Contraception Act, which passed both chambers of the legislature but was later vetoed by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Inspired by the Trump administration’s travel ban on citizens from Muslim-majority countries, Hashmi entered politics to fight for equality and representation. Her historic win marks a significant milestone for inclusivity in Virginia’s political landscape.
A lifelong educator and avid reader, Hashmi once said she had dreamed of becoming a professor since the age of twelve. Today, she stands as a trailblazer for women, immigrants, and minorities in American politics.
