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Ghazala Hashmi Elected Virginia Lieutenant Governor, a First for an Indian‑Origin Muslim Woman in the U.S.

Her win positions her to cast tie‑breaking votes in the state Senate.

Overview

  • Hashmi defeated Republican John Reid by a clear margin, with reported partial returns showing about 54.2% to 45.8% with roughly 79% of votes counted.
  • She previously became the first Muslim and the first South Asian American to serve in the Virginia Senate.
  • Her stated priorities include protecting reproductive rights and advancing gun‑safety measures such as safe‑storage requirements, background checks, red‑flag laws, and an assault‑weapons ban.
  • Born in Hyderabad and raised in the U.S. from age four, she spent nearly three decades as a college educator and rose to chair the Senate Education and Health Committee in 2024.
  • The Indian American Impact Fund congratulated her and said it invested $175,000 to support her campaign.