Latest news with #GhazalaHashmi
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Who is Ghazala Hashmi? Indian-American wins lieutenant governor nomination; Democrat to contest Virginia race
Source- Instagram Senator Ghazala Hashmi made history on Wednesday by winning the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of Virginia. She is now the first Muslim and the first Indian-American ever nominated for a statewide office in Virginia. Hashmi defeated five Democratic candidates, including former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, clinching the nomination by a razor-thin margin of less than one percentage point. She will now face Republican John Reid in November. Reid is the first openly gay man nominated by a major party for statewide office in Virginia. With Hashmi joining gubernatorial nominee Rep. Abigail Spanberger and attorney general candidate Jay Jones, Democrats have now completed their statewide ticket. The general election could be historic in multiple ways, including the possibility of Virginia electing its first woman governor. Who is Ghazala Hashmi? Hashmi is the first Muslim woman and first South Asian American elected to Virginia's state Senate. She was born in India and moved to the US at age 4, settling in Georgia with her family. Hashmi holds a PhD in American literature and spent most of her professional life as a professor. She taught at the University of Richmond and later at Reynolds Community College before entering politics. In 2019, she entered the Virginia Senate by defeating Republican Glen Sturtevant in a closely watched race. She was re-elected in 2023. In the Senate, she championed reproductive rights. One of her key bills aimed to protect Virginians' access to contraception. The bill passed both chambers but was vetoed by Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia Democrats coalesce as primary election sets statewide ticket. Will Republicans?
Virginia Democrats solidified their statewide ticket Tuesday, voting for state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi as the nominee for lieutenant governor and former Del. Jay Jones as the nominee for attorney general in the state's primary elections. Before the lieutenant governor's primary had been called, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger issued her congratulations, calling Hashmi a 'proven leader.' With the stage set for Virginia's bellwether election, Spanberger, Hashmi and Jones put out a joint statement Wednesday emphasizing their unified campaign. 'As the Democratic ticket running to serve as Virginia's next Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General, we are united in our focus on the issues that matter to our fellow Virginians,' they wrote. Hashmi and Jones are scheduled appear at stops along Spanberger's planned eight-day bus tour around the commonwealth, according to a spokesperson for her campaign. The tour kicks off Saturday in Richmond, making its way throughout the state until ending in Hampton Roads on June 28. That's a markedly different strategy from Virginia Republicans, who have had a set statewide ticket since April but have thus far been going it alone. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares, and conservative radio host John Reid are the party's nominees for governor, attorney general and lieutenant governor, but have yet to appear together in public. The parties' tickets are notably diverse — without a straight white man nominated for any of the positions. In an interview at the end of May, Reid said he had not spoken to Gov. Glenn Youngkin since the governor asked him to step down as the nominee. At the time, Youngkin cited a social media account that posted risqué images of men that matched the username of other accounts Reid used. With DEI under attack, here's how Virginia's diverse slate of candidates talk about identity On Wednesday, Reid for the first time shared a graphic of the Republican statewide ticket to social media with the caption 'The GOP ticket is ready to lead.' Neither Earle-Sears nor Miyares had posted anything similar at press time. In the aftermath of Youngkin's phone call and Reid's refusal to step down, Earle-Sears briefly acknowledged that Reid was the nominee, but has not mentioned him on social media since. 'We all have our own race to run,' she said at the time. In Tuesday's Democratic and Republican primaries, Hampton Roads voters also decided who will represent them in the November general election for House Districts 70, 89 and 97. ____ Hashmi, who will be the first Muslim and first Indian-American to appear on a ballot for statewide office, emerged victorious from a field of six running for the party's nomination for lieutenant governor with 27.5% of the vote. 'Today, we've made history yet again, not just by winning this primary, but by declaring with one voice that Virginia is not going to be bullied or broken or dragged backwards by the chaos that's unfolding in Washington,' she said Tuesday night. The next closest candidate, former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, conceded the race Wednesday morning with 26.7% of the vote. State Sen. Aaron Rouse of Virginia Beach finished in third with 26.1% of the vote and conceded Tuesday night. Three other Democrats trailed, each earning less than 10% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the state Department of Elections. In a video Tuesday night, Reid congratulated Hashmi, welcomed her to the campaign trail — then went on the attack. 'Sen. Hashmi, sadly, has been one of the biggest cheerleaders for the high taxes, anti-business, trans radicalism, and government-knows-better-than-parents attitude that's crushing our families and endangering our future,' he said. ____ Two Hampton Roads candidates will compete in November's election. Jones, of Norfolk, won a close race with 51% of the vote against Henrico Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor. He will face Miyares of Virginia Beach in the general election. At a party in Norfolk, Jones said Tuesday he was ready to fight and to win and called Miyares Donald Trump's 'pro bono lawyer.' 'We deserve better,' said Jones, who represented parts of Norfolk in the House of Delegates from 2018 to 2021. 'We can do better, and we will get better this November.' Miyares, who represented parts of Virginia Beach in the House from 2016 to 2021, fired shots of his own in a statement posted to X. 'My opponent's ideological record makes Virginia families less safe and our streets more violent,' he wrote. 'The law is a shield to keep people safe, not a sword for social justice warriors or a platform for grand social experiments.' ____ In Newport News, Republicans voted for Cynthia Scaturico to represent the party against incumbent Democrat Del. Shelly Simonds to represent House District 70. Scaturico beat Hailey Dollar, a newcomer to politics, with 74% of the vote. Scaturico previously held a board of supervisors seat in Iowa before moving to Newport News. She said her priorities included protecting workers' rights, education reform and local homelessness. Voters in Chesapeake and Suffolk chose also Democrat Karen 'Kacey' Carnegie and Republican Mike Lamonea to meet in the November House District 89 race. Carnegie beat Blaizen Buckshot Bloom with more than 77% of the vote as of Wednesday. 'With tonight's win, we're one step closer to flipping HD-89 — one of the most competitive districts in Virginia — and expanding the Democratic majority in the House of Delegates,' Carnegie said in a release. Lamonea beat Kristen Shannon with 66% of the vote as of Wednesday. 'As we turn our focus to November, I look forward to continuing the conversation with voters about lowering taxes, improving education, protecting our constitutional rights and ensuring safe communities,' he said Tuesday night. And Virginia Beach Republicans overwhelmingly voted for Tim Anderson to compete against Democratic incumbent Del. Michael Feggans. Anderson, an attorney, won the House District 97 primary against Christina Felder with about 92% of the vote. The attorney and former delegate said he wants to substantially lower the car tax, and instead use Virginia's budget surplus to reimburse localities for the lost revenue. 'We ran a clean message on eliminating the car tax, and it resonated overwhelming with the district,' Anderson said by phone Tuesday night. 'Virginia has the surplus to do it. That's going to be our campaign promise.' Staff writers Trevor Metcalfe, Stacy Parker, Natalie Anderson and Devlin Epding contributed to this report. Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881, kateseltzer@
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ghazala Hashmi declares victory in Democratic primary for Virginia lieutenant governor
State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi declared victory Tuesday night in the Democratic primary for Virginia lieutenant governor, leading the six-person race with 27.5% of the vote. The next closest candidate, former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, conceded the race Wednesday morning with 26.7% of the vote. State Sen. Aaron Rouse finished in third with 26.1% of the vote and conceded the race Tuesday night. Three other Democrats trailed, each earning less than 10% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the state Department of Elections. The Associated Press called the race for Hashmi on Wednesday morning. 'Today, we've made history yet again, not just by winning this primary, but by declaring with one voice that Virginia is not going to be bullied or broken or dragged backwards by the chaos that's unfolding in Washington,' Hashmi said Tuesday night, addressing a group of about 50 supporters at a condo complex's clubhouse in Richmond. Hashmi is the first Muslim and South Asian-American elected to the state senate and would be the first Muslim on a statewide ticket in Virginia. She took office in 2020 and said she was initially inspired to run in reaction to anti-Muslim rhetoric from President Donald Trump. 'Now, we don't have time for small plans or soft voices,' she added, nodding to her critics who have described her as too soft spoken. 'We need spines of steel. We're facing a pivotal moment in our history, and while MAGA-driven Republican ticket might try to take our state backwards, I'm running, and you're running with me with the unshakable belief in what Virginia can be.' Stoney initially said Tuesday night he would wait for all the votes to be counted. The vote counts are still unofficial, but he subsequently exited the race. If the race is within a percentage point, candidates can request a recount that they pay for; if the totals are within 0.5%, the state will pay for a recount. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, posted her congratulations to Hashmi on social media Tuesday night. 'As a proven leader in the Virginia Senate, Senator Hashmi has passed legislation that's delivered economic investment, improved schools, protected healthcare, and defended reproductive freedom,' Spanberger wrote. The winner of Tuesday's Democratic primary election will become the nominee for lieutenant governor and will face the Republican nominee, conservative radio host John Reid, in the general election for the position in November. Reid is the first openly gay person on the state's ticket. With DEI under attack, here's how Virginia's diverse slate of candidates talk about identity At time of writing, about 480,000 votes had been counted. That's comparable to the 2021 statewide primary, where about half a million people voted in the Democratic primary, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. It was an expensive race. VPAP reported that Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor cumulatively raised about $7.6 million. Stoney raised about $2.1 million, and Rouse and Hashmi each raised about $1.8 million. Hashmi currently serves as chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee. Before she was a legislator, she was a college professor at the University of Richmond and Reynolds Community College. She was endorsed by abortion rights and climate groups. Originally from York County, Stoney served as the mayor of Richmond from 2017 through 2024. Before that, he was secretary of commonwealth in Gov. Terry McAuliffe's administration. Stoney said previously that those roles prepared him well to run as lieutenant governor and touted his decision to remove Confederate monuments on city property after the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. The former mayor received criticism after city police tear gassed those same protesters. And, critics blamed Stoney for January's water crisis that left much of the city without drinkable water just days after he left office. On the campaign trail, Stoney deflected some of the blame to his predecessor Dwight Jones, according to reporting from the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Virginia primary election results Stoney pulled some big name endorsements, including McAuliffe, former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and actor Levar Burton. Rouse is a state senator representing Virginia Beach, from where he originally hails. A former professional football player and Virginia Beach City Council member, Rouse took office in 2023 after a special election. He was preceded by Rep. Jen Kiggans, a Republican. This legislative session, Rouse sponsored the Senate version of the Save Local Pharmacies Act, which realigns the state's Medicaid pharmacy benefit under a single state-contracted pharmacy benefit manager (PBM). That law takes effect July 5. Reid, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, had raised just over $300,000 between January and June of this year. John Curran, who failed to qualify for the ballot but is running a write-in campaign for lieutenant governor, had raised more than $1 million. In Virginia, the lieutenant governor and governor are elected separately, meaning they do not run on a shared ticket and it's possible — though rare — for two different parties to occupy those positions. Current Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican nominee for governor, has not yet appeared alongside Reid, though the Republicans did not hold a primary this year. Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881, kateseltzer@
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
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.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
State senator, Indian immigrant, pulls upset in Virginia Democratic lieutenant governor's race
State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chester, has won the Democratic nomination for Virginia's lieutenant governorship, according to the Associated Press. Hashmi, an immigrant from India, said on her campaign site that she is the only candidate "endorsed by both abortion rights groups and labor." Hashmi was locked in a close race with the top two contenders, former Green Bay Packers safety Aaron Rouse and ex-Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. Hashmi will face GOP nominee John Reid in the state's general election in November. Stoney, who conceded on Wednesday, moved on to become mayor of Richmond, the capital city, and oversaw the removal of several Confederate sculptures that for decades lined the famous Monument Avenue from the Fan District to downtown. In the Washington Post at the time, Stoney wrote that there "are two epidemics in America: COVID-19 and racism. One is now 14 months old, the other over 400 years old. Both are lethal. I knew I wasn't going to be able to cure those issues that day [standing with protesters at Lee Circle]." More recently, Stoney told the Virginia Mercury that he will effectively work across the aisle in the lieutenant governor's dual role of president of the Virginia State Senate. "We will not agree on everything, and that is OK. I will be a happy warrior—someone who is willing to stand firm on values, speak up when there is disagreement, and still find a way to work together when common ground exists. Disagreement does not have to lead to dysfunction," Stoney said. Rouse has positioned himself as a force to counter Republican leadership in Washington, writing on his campaign site that he "stood up to Donald Trump time and again." He added that he shepherded a law through the legislature to protect federal workers from Department of Government Efficiency attrition, which he labeled "Musk's chaos." Other candidates in the race included state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, Prince William County School Board Chair Dr. Babur Lateef and union leader Alexander Bastani. Hashmi, whose county directly abuts Richmond-Petersburg, positioned herself as a progressive who emphasized support for public education, abortion rights and affordable housing. She also serves as chairwoman of the Senate Education and Health Committee in Richmond. Lateef, an ophthalmologist endorsed by McAuliffe, also focused on education policy. Bastani partially self-funded his quixotic campaign and focused on labor and economic issues. Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., ran unopposed for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination and was officially projected such Tuesday evening.
