Ghazala Hashmi wins Virginia Democratic lieutenant governor race

The Virginia state senator will face Republican nominee John Reid in the general election this fall.

Virginia state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi won a six-way primary on Tuesday to be the Democratic nominee for Virginia lieutenant governor this fall. 

On Wednesday morning the race’s second-highest vote getter, former Richmond mayor Levar Stoney conceded to Hashmi, who declared victory Tuesday night. Democratic party leaders quickly rallied around her. The AP also called the race for Hashmi late Wednesday morning. 

“Tonight, Virginians made history,” Hashmi said in an email statement. “We didn’t just win a primary, we sent a clear message that we won’t be bullied, broken, or dragged backward by the chaos in Washington.”

Hashmi joins a ticket that includes former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger as the Democrats’ nominee for governor and former state delegate Jay Jones as the nominee for attorney general. 

Her victory comes after she got the backing of a coalition of labor unions and reproductive rights groups. Born in India before emigrating to the US when she was four-years-old, Hashmi was the first Muslim and the first South Asian American to serve in the Virginia Senate. 

The three Democratic nominees – Spanberger, Hashmi, and Jones –  issued a joint statement on Wednesday saying they are united. 

“Over the coming months, we will be relentless in communicating our vision for making Virginia more affordable, making Virginia’s public schools the best in America, protecting our Commonwealth’s economy, and defending Virginians’ rights,” they said. “That’s the leadership Virginians deserve.”

@vadogwoodnews Virginia state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi at No Kings protest in Manassas says we will not accept criminality of Trump administration #virginia ♬ original sound – Dogwood

Hashmi was closely trailed by Stoney and state Sen. Aaron Rouse. As of Wednesday, she had 27.5% of the vote, compared with Stoney at 26.7% and Rouse’s 26.14% The other candidates, who did not break double digits, in the race were: Prince William County School Board Chairman Babur Lateef; former federal prosecutor Victor Salgado; and Alex Bastani, a former economist with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Stoney called on his supporters to rally behind Hashmi.

“Unfortunately, in this primary we came up a little short,” Stoney said. “But the fight for a fair Virginia continues.”

Hashmi is now running against the Republican nominee John Reid, a right-wing radio host who did not face a primary challenge, for the post. Republicans have struggled to embrace Reid: Gov. Glenn Youngkin tried to push him off the ticket over porn allegations. Reid has yet to appear alongside Republican nominee for governor Winsome Earle-Sears, who currently serves as Virginia’s lieutenant governor.