- Immigrant Times
- Nov 5
- 3 min read
Two women make history in Virginia
Ghazala Hashmi’s election as lieutenant governor reflects the growing influence of immigrant voices in American politics
By The Immigrant Times
Ghazala Hashmi was born in Hyderabad, India, in 1964 and immigrated with her family to Georgia at the age of four. With a PhD in English, she spent three decades as a professor in Virginia before entering politics
November 2025: The election of Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York City showed that there is more to American politics than Donald Trump and MAGA. A Muslim immigrant of South Asian descent ascending to one of the country’s most visible political offices signals how, with the right candidates, immigrant communities can make their voices heard. In the same wave of change, Virginia voters elected Ghazala Hashmi as Lieutenant Governor, another testament to the contributions of immigrants and Muslims made to public service in the US.
Ghazala Hashmi was born in Hyderabad, India, in 1964 and immigrated with her family to Georgia at the age of four. Her father and uncle were academics at Georgia Southern University, and she excelled early in her studies, graduating as valedictorian before earning a BA in English at Georgia Southern and a PhD in English from Emory University.
In 1991, she and her husband, Azhar Rafiq, moved to Richmond, Virginia, where she spent nearly three decades as a professor, first at the University of Richmond and later at Reynolds Community College, founding its Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
Hashmi entered politics in 2019, when, as a Democrat, she won an election to the Virginia Senate, flipping a Republican-held seat and becoming the first Muslim and first South Asian American elected to that chamber. Her policy platform has been progressive and community-driven, focused on public education, healthcare access, reproductive freedom, environmental justice, and gun-violence prevention.
“As an educator, as a mother, as a State Senator, I’ve spent my life fighting for communities left behind,” Hashmi said during her campaign. “I’ve stood up to special interests, pushed for fully funded public schools, defended reproductive rights, and protected Medicaid expansion.”
Her message resonated across communities seeking stability, inclusion, and fairness in governance. Speaking shortly before Election Day, she noted: “We’re really showing the rest of the country that Virginia is in a position where we embrace diversity. We’re not divided on those lines of bigotry that once defined us.”
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
The lieutenant governor is Virginia’s second-highest office. Elected independently from the governor, the lieutenant governor presides over the Virginia Senate and casts tie-breaking votes, an increasingly significant power in a closely divided legislature.
The office also serves as the immediate successor to the governor, and historically has been a launching pad for higher office. Hashmi’s election adds symbolic power to its duties: an immigrant and Muslim woman presiding over a chamber that once excluded people like her from civic life altogether.
Hashmi’s election, alongside Mamdani’s in New York, captures a pivotal national shift: immigrant and Muslim Americans are not only winning office but also shaping policy and public dialogue. Her long career in education and her legislative focus on rights-based, equity-oriented policy have the potential to make her a role model for young Muslim American women.
Governor of Virginia
In a complementary historic development, Abigail Spanberger has been elected governor of Virginia, becoming the state’s first woman to hold that office after a campaign rooted in public service and pragmatism. Formerly a case officer with the Central Intelligence Agency and a three-term member of the US House of Representatives from a swing district, Spanberger emphasised economic fairness, strong public schools and bipartisan cooperation. With Ghazala Hashmi set to assume the lieutenant governorship, the two highest offices in the Commonwealth of Virginia will be held by women.
Further reading: Zohran Mamdani elected Mayor of New York City || American sanctuary states and cities || An African immigrant serves NYC on the world stage ||
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