Ghazala Firdous Hashmi (born July 5, 1964) is an American politician, educator, and academic administrator who serves as a Virginia state senator and is the lieutenant governor–elect of Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, she will make history as the first Asian American and Muslim elected to statewide office in Virginia and the first Muslim woman to hold statewide office in the United States. Born in Hyderabad, India, Hashmi moved with her family to Georgia at age four, where she later received a B.A. in English from Georgia Southern University and a Ph.D. in English from Emory University. Before entering politics, she spent 25 years in academia, teaching and serving as a professor and founding director at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. Elected to the Virginia Senate in 2019 after defeating a Republican incumbent, she became the first Muslim and first woman to represent her district and was re-elected in 2023. In 2024, she announced her campaign for lieutenant governor, narrowly winning the Democratic primary in June 2025 before defeating Republican John Reid in the general election. Known for her progressive stances, Hashmi supports repealing Virginia’s right-to-work laws and has criticized Donald Trump’s federal worker layoffs, linking them to Virginia’s decline in business competitiveness.
Ghazala Hashmi Makes History as First Muslim Woman Elected Statewide in U.S., Wins Virginia Lieutenant Governor Race
Democrat Ghazala Hashmi has won the Virginia lieutenant governor’s race, CNN projects, in a historic victory that makes her the first Muslim woman ever elected to statewide office in the United States and the first Indian American elected statewide in Virginia.
Hashmi, a state senator from the Richmond area, defeated Republican John Reid, a former conservative radio host who made history himself as Virginia’s first openly gay statewide nominee. As lieutenant governor, Hashmi will preside over the Virginia Senate and hold the crucial power to break tie votes in the closely divided chamber, where Democrats will now have a slim 20–19 majority after her departure from the Senate seat she currently holds.
First elected to the state Senate in 2019, Hashmi drew national headlines for defeating an incumbent Republican and helping Democrats capture the chamber. Inspired by the Trump administration’s travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries, Hashmi said the policy motivated her to get into politics to fight for inclusion and representation.
This year, she ran on progressive priorities and pledged to “stand up to Trump-style politics, touting a platform of protecting reproductive rights, expanding access to education, and shoring up healthcare. She won the Democratic nomination in June with 28% of the vote in a crowded, six-way primary.
Reid, her Republican opponent, centered his campaign on cultural and education issues, reflecting themes that propelled Governor Glenn Youngkin’s ascendance, including “parents’ rights” in schools and restrictions related to transgender students. He also promised to protect Virginia’s Right-to-Work law and outlined proposals to aid laid-off federal workers. While Reid has embraced former President Donald Trump, Trump did not provide him with a formal endorsement.
In one of the quirkier twists of the campaign, the two candidates never appeared together in a traditional debate; after Hashmi declined to participate in debates proposed by Reid, he went so far as to debate an AI-generated version of Hashmi in October, to draw attention to her absence.
Hashmi campaigned with fellow Democrats Abigail Spanberger, the party’s gubernatorial nominee, and Jay Jones, who ran for attorney general. When damaging text messages from Jones surfaced, Hashmi denounced the content but, like most Democrats, stopped short of urging him to withdraw from the race.
Virginia is one of 17 states where lieutenant governors are elected separately from governors, and the position has long served as a launchpad for gubernatorial bids — since governors are barred from serving consecutive terms. Outgoing Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, a Republican, is one of those who have used the role to build statewide influence. Hashmi’s win not only cements her place in American political history but also reflects the growing diversity and representation in U.S. politics, as she becomes a symbol of both immigrant success and progressive leadership in the modern South.
