Who is Ghazala Hashmi, the Democratic candidate for Virginia Lieutenant Governor?

Ghazala Hashmi
has made history as the first Muslim and first Indian-American to win the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. She was chosen by a major party to run for a statewide office in the state. She will now face Republican
John Reid
in the general election in November, as per the reports.
She beat five other Democratic candidates, including Levar Stoney, by less than 1% in a very close primary race. Levar Stoney conceded and congratulated Hashmi. Hashmi will run against Republican John Reid, who is the first openly gay man to be nominated by a major party for a statewide office in Virginia, according to the Associated Press.
Reid became the Republican nominee after his only opponent dropped out of the race. Hashmi's win completed the Democratic team for Virginia's general election in November. Jay Jones was chosen as the Democratic nominee for Attorney General the day before. In a joint statement, Hashmi, Jones, and Abigail Spanberger said they are united on important issues for Virginians, as per the reports.
More about Ghazala Hashmi
Ghazala Hashmi moved to the U.S. from India at the age of 4, settling first in Georgia. Later, she moved to Richmond, Virginia, after getting a Ph.D. in American literature. She worked as a professor at the University of Richmond and then at Reynolds Community College, as stated by the Associated Press.
Hashmi entered the Virginia Senate six years ago after defeating Republican Sen. Glen Sturtevant. She was reelected to the Senate in 2023. In the Senate, she introduced a bill to protect the right to contraception in Virginia. The bill passed both chambers, but was vetoed by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, as per reports.
Live Events
Who else is running in Virginia?
Virginia's elections usually get a lot of national attention, especially before midterm elections like the one in 2026. This year's election will be historic no matter what. Spanberger ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and will face Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for Governor, according to the reports by Associated Press.
Since both major candidates for Governor are women, Virginia will likely have its first woman Governor in its 250-year history. Republicans didn't hold any statewide primaries this year. Only one candidate per office went forward to the general election. Earle-Sears became the Republican candidate for Governor after Dave LaRock and Amanda Chase failed to get enough signatures to qualify, as per the reports.
FAQs
Q1. Who is Ghazala Hashmi running against?
She will face Republican John Reid in the general election.
Q2. Why is this election historic?
Virginia may get its first woman Governor and has many diverse candidates.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

New Indian Express

21 minutes ago

• New Indian Express

54 institutions from India make it to QS World University rankings, IIT Delhi highest at 123rd spot

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded the performance of Indian educational institutions in the World University 2026 Rankings, which were made public on Thursday. In a post on X, the PM said, 'The QS World University Rankings bring great news for our education sector. Our government is committed to furthering research and innovation ecosystems for the benefit of India's youth.' India is the fourth most represented in the list with only the United States, United Kingdom and China surpassing it, said an official release from the PIB. A total of 54 Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) from India featured in the rankings with IIT Delhi emerging as the country's top-ranked institute by securing the 123rd position. Twelve IITs have made it to the ranking list. Compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the internationally recognised ranking system compares HEIs worldwide on an annual basis. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in a statement said, 'From just 11 universities in 2014 to 54 in the latest rankings, this five-fold jump is a testament to the transformative educational reforms ushered by PM Narendra Modiji's government in the last decade. National Education Policy 2020 is not just changing our educational landscape, it is revolutionising it.

Time of India

22 minutes ago

• Time of India

From Tehran to Baghdad: Thousands Across Middle East March Against Israel's Attacks On Iran

'Thank You!' Indian Students Elated After MEA Evacuates 110 Amid Iran-Israel War | Operation Sindhu Amid escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the Indian government launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. On Tuesday, 110 Indian students were safely relocated from Tehran to Armenia via land. By early Thursday morning, they arrived in New Delhi on the first evacuation flight from Yerevan. Students expressed deep gratitude to the Government of India, especially the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Embassy in Tehran. Many shared how they witnessed missiles, drone strikes, and the anxiety of being trapped in a conflict zone. Despite tiredness, the students expressed relief, joy, and hope to return to their studies when the region stabilizes. This mission underscores India's unwavering commitment to protect its citizens abroad during global crises.#operationsindhu #iranisraelconflict #indiansinevacuation #tehranevacuation #mbbsstudentsiran #indianembassyiran #indiandiaspora #evacuationindia #externalaffairs #yerevandeparture #toi #toibharat #bharat #breakingnews #indianews 17.2K views | 1 day ago

Hindustan Times

25 minutes ago

• Hindustan Times

‘We understand, our expectation is more': Iranian diplomat on India's stand

NEW DELHI: Iran expects India to condemn 'aggression by Israel' to uphold the principle of sovereignty of countries and international law and to prevent similar actions in other parts of the world, a senior Iranian diplomat said on Friday. Emergency personnel work at an impact site following Iran's missile strike on Israel, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Haifa, Israel, June 20. (REUTERS) Against the backdrop of reports that the US is making an outreach to Pakistan for support for possible American strikes on Iran, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, deputy chief of mission at the Iranian embassy, told reporters that Pakistan should stand with Iran in the face of Israel's aggression. 'We believe every country, including India, should condemn this aggression, not because of Iran or because of this conflict, but because it will open the way for other countries who [want] to attack a neighbour on some baseless allegations,' Hosseini said. 'If you don't condemn it, you are giving them an incentive.' Also Read: Iran eases airspace restrictions for 3 Indian charter flights India's actions should be in keeping with its role as the voice of the Global South at key forums such as the G20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). 'Our expectation is this voice [will take this issue] not as a matter of bilateral relations with Iran and Israel, but to condemn this aggression, so that international law is respected and everybody knows that if there is any aggression, there will be punishment,' Hosseini said. Iran's deputy chief of mission to India Mohammad Javad Hosseini addresses a press conference, in New Delhi, Friday (PTI) India has sought to take a balanced position on the Iran-Israel conflict because of its close relations with both countries. The Indian government has urged both sides to return to dialogue and diplomacy and insisted a solution cannot be found on the battlefield. India also disassociated itself from a recent SCO statement that condemned Israel's military strikes on Iran. Also Read: The prospect of a wider war | HT Editorial Asked if Iran is disappointed with India's stance, Hosseini replied: 'No, we can say that it is not a matter of disappointment, that we understand. But our expectation is more.' Hosseini said Iran appreciated India's stance of having good relations with Iran and Israel, especially in the context of the SCO statement. 'We have told them it isn't a matter of the Iran-Israel conflict, it's a matter of aggression against a sovereign country, it's a matter of blatant violation of international law, which should be condemned no matter who prepared this plan,' he said. He responded to questions about the US seeking Pakistan's support for possible American strikes on Iran, especially after a meeting this week between US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir, by saying that he hoped Islamabad will stand with Tehran. 'I hope Pakistan won't go for that and will stand with Iran against Israeli aggression,' he said. 'We are in contact with Pakistani officials, they know our stance and they understand us well,' Hosseini said. 'And we hope the decision which is going to be made at the end will be to stand with Iran, to stand with the truth and condemn the aggressors [and] not to give some incentive to the aggressors.' The US, Hosseini said, is engaged in a 'psychological war' against Iran, which is prepared for all scenarios. 'It is a conflict between Iran and Israel, and it's better for a third party not to enter it. If it enters, it would definitely become more complicated and it will have very bad consequences for that third party,' he said.