Unicaus NEWS
Ms. Hashmi, 61, a Democrat secured 1,465,634 votes (54.2%), approach forward of her Republican rival John Reid, who secured 1,232,242 votes, with 79% of the votes in.
The Virginia State Senator, who emerged victorious on Election Day on Tuesday (November 4, 2025), was among the many over 30 Indian-Americans and South Asian candidates operating for workplace for key nationwide positions within the 2025 elections.
Ms. Hashmi’s election was among the many most-closely watched as she was within the fray for the highest State put up.
Ms. Hashmi is the primary Muslim and the primary South Asian American to serve within the Virginia Senate.
“As an skilled educator and advocate of inclusive values and social justice, her legislative priorities embrace public schooling, voting rights and the preservation of democracy, reproductive freedom, gun violence prevention, the setting, housing and reasonably priced healthcare entry,” her official profile stated.
Community organisation The Indian American Impact Fund congratulated Ms. Hashmi on her historic victory within the General Election for Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor.
As a part of its dedication to electing barrier-breaking leaders, Impact stated it had invested $1,75,000 in Ms. Hashmi’s marketing campaign to mobilise voters and strengthen illustration at each degree of presidency.
Executive Director of the Indian American Impact Fund Chintan Patel described Ms. Hashmi’s victory as a landmark second for the group, Commonwealth and democracy.
“An immigrant, educator and tireless advocate, she has devoted her life to increasing alternative and delivering outcomes for working households throughout Virginia. From reproductive freedom and reasonably priced healthcare to public schooling and housing fairness, Ghazala Hashmi has led on the problems that matter most to Virginians,” Mr. Patel stated.
Ms. Hashmi was first elected to workplace in November 2019, upsetting the Republican incumbent and delivering the bulk to Democrats for the primary time in years and stunning the political institution.
Indian American Impact Fund famous that Ms. Hashmi had made historical past in 2019 along with her victory, flipping the Republican-held seat to assist Democrats take management of the State Senate.
“Tonight she’s made historical past once more as Virginia’s first South Asian American and Muslim Lieutenant Governor. Impact was proud to assist her from the very starting as a result of we knew what was at stake: defending our rights, defending our communities from MAGA extremism, and increasing alternative for all who name Virginia dwelling.” In 2024, Ms. Hashmi was named Chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee. As a State Senator, Ms. Ghazala has devoted her efforts to enhancing the lives of others, specializing in problems with inequity in housing, schooling, well being care, environmental justice and rather more.
Ms. Hashmi was 4 years previous when she emigrated to the U.S. along with her mom and older brother from India, becoming a member of her father in Georgia the place he was pursuing his PhD in worldwide relations and starting his college educating profession.
She grew up in that small faculty city, at a time when public colleges have been being desegregated, and so she noticed firsthand how communities could be constructed and dialogue promoted by intentional efforts to bridge cultural, racial, and socioeconomic divides, her marketing campaign stated.
After graduating as valedictorian of her highschool class and receiving a number of full scholarships and fellowships, Hashmi earned a BA with honours from Georgia Southern University and her PhD in American literature from Emory University in Atlanta.
Ms. Hashmi and her husband, Azhar, moved as newlyweds to the Richmond space in 1991, and she or he spent practically 30 years as a professor, first educating on the University of Richmond after which at Reynolds Community College.
While at Reynolds, she additionally served because the Founding Director of the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL).
