Overview
- Hashmi defeated Republican John Reid with roughly 55.3% of the vote to 44.5%, according to Associated Press tallies.
- Her elevation vacates her Virginia Senate seat, which will be filled in a special election.
- The Hyderabad-born educator is also the first Indian American to win statewide office in Virginia and previously chaired the Senate Education and Health Committee.
- In post-election remarks, she outlined immediate priorities responding to the federal shutdown’s effects, citing Medicaid cuts, SNAP losses, and support for families, alongside a focus on universal pre-K, public education, housing, health care, and the economy.
- She will succeed Winsome Earle-Sears and take office on Jan. 17, 2026, presiding over the Senate and holding tie-breaking authority.