Ghazala Hashmi | |
|---|---|
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| Member of theVirginia Senate | |
| Assumed office January 8, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Glen Sturtevant |
| Constituency | 10th district (2020–2024) 15th district (since 2024) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ghazala Firdous Hashmi (1964-07-05)July 5, 1964 (age 60) Hyderabad, India |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Azhar Rafiq[1] |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Georgia Southern University (BA) Emory University (MA,PhD) |
| Website | Senate website |
Ghazala Firdous Hashmi (born July 5, 1964) is anIndian-bornAmerican politician and former academic administrator and educator. ADemocrat, Hashmi represents the15th district in theSenate of Virginia. She worked as an educator and academic administrator for 25 years before running for office.
Hashmi was born inHyderabad,India, in 1964 to Tanveer and Zia Hashmi. She lived at her maternal grandparents' home inMalakpet during her childhood. Her maternal grandfather served in the finance department of theGovernment of Andhra Pradesh. Her family moved to the United States in 1969.[2][3]
Hashmi completed a B.A. in English atGeorgia Southern University. She earned a Ph.D. in English fromEmory University.[4] Her 1992 dissertation was titledWilliam Carlos Williams and the American ground of "In the American Grain" and "Paterson."[5] Peter Dowell was her doctoral advisor.[5]
Hashmi was an educator and academic administrator for 25 years.[2] She was a Visiting Assistant Professor at theUniversity of Richmond and a Professor at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. AtJ. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, she served as the founding director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.[2]
In the2019 Virginia Senate election, Hashmi wonVirginia's 10th Senate district, defeating incumbent RepublicanGlen Sturtevant. She is the first woman to represent the district and the first Muslim elected to theSenate of Virginia.[6] She was officially sworn into office on January 8, 2020.[7][8][9] In November 2023, she was re-elected to the Senate of Virginia in Senate District 15.
In May 2024, Hashmi announced her run for the2025 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election; if elected she would be the firstMuslim andSouth Asian holding a statewide office inVirginia.[10]
In 2025, Hashmi introduced the Right to Contraception Act to protect contraception access in Virginia.[11] She also introduced a budget amendment to protect Medicaid expansion in Virginia.[12]
Hashmi sponsored a bill to increase Virginia public school funding by more than $1 billion.[13]
Hashmi moved toRichmond in 1991 with her husband. They have two daughters.[2] Hashmi resides inRichmond, Virginia.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ghazala Hashmi | 44,548 | 54.10% | |
| Republican | Glen Sturtevant (incumbent) | 37,737 | 45.80% | |
| Write-in | 92 | 0.01% | ||
| Total votes | 82,377 | 100.00% | ||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ghazala Hashmi (incumbent) | 33,253 | 62.16% | |
| Republican | Hayden Fisher | 20,042 | 37.46% | |
| Write-in | 202 | 0.38% | ||
| Total votes | 53,494 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Senate of Virginia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theVirginia Senate from the10th district 2020–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theVirginia Senate from the15th district 2024–Present | Incumbent |