Ghazala Hashmi from Hyderabad, India, will become the first Muslim and Asian-American to hold statewide office in Virginia after polls show she leads Republican John Reid in the lieutenant governor race. The November 4 election will bring historic change when Hashmi wins, as she will become the first Muslim and Asian-American to serve in Virginia state government.
Leading in the Polls, Building on Historic Momentum
The Hashmi leads Reid by 9 points among Virginia voters who will likely vote in the election. The Wason Center at Christopher Newport University surveyed from September 29 to October 1, which shows Kaplan Strategies' poll showing Hashmi leading Reid by 7 points (48%-41%), supporting the Democratic party’s positive performance in down-ballot elections. The Suffolk University poll from October 23 showed the candidates tied at 45% but the results stay within the survey’s error range.
“Virginia workers know nobody is working harder for them. As lieutenant governor, I will continue my fight to increase wages, protect affordable health care, and create opportunities for all families to thrive,” Hashmi posted on social media on October 6 while sharing a campaign advertisement titled “Educator”
From Malakpet to Richmond
Born in Hyderabad in 1964, Hashmi lived with her maternal grandparents in Malakpet during her childhood. Her maternal grandfather served in the finance department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, according to the Khaleej Times. She moved to the United States with her mother and older brother at age four, joining her father in Georgia as he completed his PhD in international relations and began his university teaching career.
After graduating as valedictorian of her high school class and receiving multiple full scholarships and fellowships, Hashmi earned a BA with honors from Georgia Southern University and her PhD in American literature from Emory University in Atlanta, according to her campaign website. She and her husband, Azhar, moved to the Richmond area as newlyweds in 1991, where she spent nearly 30 years as a professor, first at the University of Richmond and then at Reynolds Community College.
Breaking Barriers in Virginia Politics
Hashmi created history during the 2019 Virginia Senate election, defeating Republican incumbent Glen Sturtevant in the 10th district to become the first Muslim and first South Asian American member of the Virginia Senate. She secured more than 60% of the votes during her 2023 re-election bid against Republican candidate Hayden Fisher in the 15th district. She launched her lieutenant governor campaign in May 2024 before securing the Democratic nomination in June by defeating five other candidates.
“I have a track record with regard to the issues Virginians care about – education, health care, housing and opportunity. I am ready to make policy that will make Virginia an example for other states,” Hashmi stated during her campaign, according to VPM News.
From Malakpet to Richmond
Ashmi created history during the 2019 Virginia Senate election when she defeated Republican incumbent Glen Sturtevant in the 10th district to become the first Muslim and first South Asian American member of the Virginia Senate. She secured more than 60% of the vote in her 2023 re-election campaign against Republican Hayden Fisher in the 15th district, demonstrating broad support from constituents. She launched her lieutenant governor campaign in May 2024 before securing the Democratic nomination in June by defeating five other candidates.
“I have a track record with regard to the issues Virginians care about – education, health care, housing and opportunity. I am ready to make policy that will make Virginia an example for other states,” Hashmi stated during her campaign, according to VPM News.
Campaign Focuses on Kitchen Table Issues
Hashmi runs alongside Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer and three-term congresswoman, and Jay Jones, who seeks the attorney general position. Her campaign platform supports public education and voting rights, gun violence prevention, climate action, housing affordability, and healthcare accessibility, which appeals to Indian and Pakistani-American voters in Virginia.
Hashmi supported the Right to Contraception Act during her time in the Senate, but Youngkin used his veto power to block its passage through the Virginia House of Delegates and the Senate. She announced her backing of the repeal of Virginia's right-to-work law in April 2025, indicating her support for labor organizations.
Building Cross-Community Support
Hashmi established connections with different immigrant populations throughout Virginia through her personal experience of moving to the United States. Community leaders credit her successful outreach to South Asian communities to her inclusive methods, which gained backing from all demographic groups, according to India Today.
“Her being of Indian origin is of little consequence for us,” Faiz Rahman, a Pakistani-origin resident of Fairfax and former staffer at Voice of America’s Urdu Service, told the Dawn newspaper, reflecting broader sentiment among voters.
Another voter, shopkeeper Kuldip Singh, told the Dawn: “I would vote for her because she is a Democrat—and Democrats are good for immigrants”. Hassan, an NGO worker from Washington, added: “People like Ghazala remind us that this country belongs to everyone willing to work for it”.
Debate Controversy and Campaign Tactics
Hashmi’s Republican opponent, John Reid, a former conservative talk show host, has criticized her refusal to participate in traditional debates. In an unusual move, Reid staged a 40-minute YouTube debate against an AI-generated version of Hashmi—a move Democrats dismissed as a “shoddy gimmick,” according to CBS-affiliate WUSA9.
The Democratic Party of Virginia said Reid was more interested in “shoddy gimmicks and dirty tricks” than in governing. At the same time, Hashmi campaign spokesperson Ava Pitruzzello called the AI debate a “desperate move,” according to WUSA9. During the mock debate, Reid claimed Hashmi supported “keeping Virginia schools closed an extra year after the coronavirus pandemic” and has “pushed for boys in girls’ sports… higher taxes [and] releasing criminals early”.
National Implications and Historic Context
The Associated Press reports that Virginia off-year elections attract national attention because they show how American politics operate. The November 4 election will decide who becomes governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, and will also see voters select all 100 members of the Virginia House of Delegates. The election functions as a preview of President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda while delivering crucial information about the 2026 midterm elections.
Hashmi seeks political office at a time when South Asian politicians are beginning to enter American political representation. Zohran Mamdani, who married a Dubai resident, has emerged as a leading contender for New York’s first Muslim mayoral position. South Asian Americans now hold more public offices throughout the United States because their numbers have grown in the population.