Virginia’s Indian American Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, will receive a $1 million donation from the national Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association — the largest donation ever received by its LG nominee in the state.
DLGA investment to back Hashmi, 60, is also double the size of investment the Republican Governors Association is making in Virginia, the group says.
“The DLGA is proud to make this historic $1 million investment in support of Ghazala Hashmi’s campaign for Lieutenant Governor—the largest ever made to a lieutenant governor candidate in Virginia,” said DLGA Chair and Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Austin Davis.
“As a State Senator, Ghazala has been a tireless champion for Virginians – leading efforts to protect Medicaid, safeguard access to reproductive healthcare, and strengthen Virginia’s public schools. The ongoing chaos of the Trump administration, the rising cost of living, and the Trump-ordered layoffs of Virginia’s federal workforce raise the stakes of this critical race, and the DLGA is proud to work alongside Ghazala to make history this November.”
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The $1 million donation brings Hashmi’s fundraising total to more than $3 million, according to her campaign. Hashmi’s Republican opponent in the general election, John Reid, has raised $311,876 as of June 5, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
Born in Hyderabad, India, Hashmi made history in 2019 as the first Muslim and first South Asian American elected to the Virginia Senate
Hashmi who came to the United States at the age of four graduated from Georgia Southern University, and received a PhD in American literature from Emory University.
Hashmi and her husband, Azhar, have lived in the Richmond area since 1991. She spent nearly three decades teaching, first at the University of Richmond and later at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.
Indian American Impact Fund, the leading community political advocacy group had invested $100,000 in her primary campaign “as part of its commitment to supporting barrier-breaking candidates.”
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“As the first Muslim and first South Asian member of the Virginia State Senate, Senator Hashmi has broken barriers while delivering meaningful results for working families across the Commonwealth” Chintan Patel, Indian American Impact Fund’s Executive Director, stated after her primary victory on June 18.
“An immigrant, educator, and tireless advocate, she has led on some of the most pressing issues of our time — from reproductive freedom and public education to housing equity and healthcare access.”
“Her historic 2019 victory, which flipped a Republican-held seat and helped Democrats take control of the State Senate, proved that she is a unifier who can bring diverse communities together around shared values,” Patel stated.
“Hashmi stands ready to defend our values, fight back against MAGA extremism, and ensure that Virginia remains a beacon of inclusivity, equity, and progress.”
Patel expressed confidence that “Hashmi will bring the same passion and determination to the role of Lieutenant Governor, and we look forward to supporting her through the general election and beyond.”