Ghazala Hashmi is from India. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Georgia Southern University and a PhD in American literature from Emory University. She lives with her husband, Azhar, and their two adult daughters in Richmond, Virginia.

Ghazla taught as a professor for nearly 30 years, working for the University of Richmond and Reynolds Community College. Additionally, she was the founding director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL).

DLCC Names Virginia Lieutenant Governor Candidate Ghazala Hashmi as a Spotlight Candidate

Ghazala Hashmi: Virginia's No. 2 has 'critical role to play'

Ghazala is currently a Virginia state senator. She was first elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023. She is currently serving her second term. 

Supports protecting workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively for fair pay, benefits, and safe workplaces.

Supports protecting workers' rights to organize and bargain together for fair pay, benefits, and safe workplaces.

Supports expanding access to affordable quality childcare, home healthcare, and elder care.

Supports expanding access to affordable quality childcare, home healthcare, and elder care, and providing caretakers with pay "at the levels they deserve."

Believes blockchain and digital assets can enhance financial freedom for unbanked Virginians and supports regulations that protect consumers, foster innovation, and promote digital economy jobs.

Supports using blockchain and digital assets to expand financial access, while backing rules that protect consumers and encourage innovation and jobs.

- Supports protecting workers' rights to organize and bargain together for fair pay, benefits, and safe workplaces.
- Supports expanding access to affordable quality childcare, home healthcare, and elder care, and providing caretakers with pay "at the levels they deserve."
- Supports using blockchain and digital assets to expand financial access, while backing rules that protect consumers and encourage innovation and jobs.

Economy

Supports developing plans for the houseless and housing insecure, better financial products for homeowners, and expanding tenant rights and protections.

Supports better financial resources for homeowners and expanding tenant rights and protections.

Supports expanding tenant rights and protections.

Said, "housing is a fundamental human right... We need to develop plans for those who are houseless or housing insecure."

- Supports better financial resources for homeowners and expanding tenant rights and protections.
- Said, "housing is a fundamental human right... We need to develop plans for those who are houseless or housing insecure."

Housing & Urban Development

Supports abortion access and contraception.

Supports access to "safe and legal abortions" and contraception.

Aims to ensure affordable healthcare for Virginians, including  low-cost prescription drugs.

Supports addressing physician and nursing shortages statewide.

Supports addressing physician and nursing shortages statewide and expanding access to affordable mental health services.

- Supports access to "safe and legal abortions" and contraception.
- Aims to ensure affordable healthcare for Virginians, including  low-cost prescription drugs.
- Supports addressing physician and nursing shortages statewide and expanding access to affordable mental health services.

Healthcare

Supports reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy.

Supports reducing carbon emissions, transitioning to renewable energy, and addressing environmental justice.

Supports "coastal resiliency programs, protecting communities from the threats of flooding, and addressing the concerns of environmental justice."

- Supports reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy.
- Supports "coastal resiliency programs, protecting communities from the threats of flooding, and addressing the concerns of environmental justice."

Energy & the Environment

Virginia Legislators Advance Police, Criminal Justice Reform

Supports gun control and said, "I strongly support universal background checks, safe storage laws, strengthened red flag laws, and a ban on assault weapons which are weapons of war."

Supports gun control laws such as universal background checks, safe storage laws, red flag laws, and a ban on assault weapons, "which are weapons of war."

Supports allowing localities to establish a civilian oversight body for police departments that can investigate incidents involving law enforcement and make binding disciplinary decisions.

Supports allowing localities to establish a civilian oversight body for police departments that can investigate incidents involving law enforcement and make permanent disciplinary decisions.

- Supports gun control laws such as universal background checks, safe storage laws, red flag laws, and a ban on assault weapons, "which are weapons of war."
- Supports allowing localities to establish a civilian oversight body for police departments that can investigate incidents involving law enforcement and make permanent disciplinary decisions.

Public Safety

Virginia Dems float giving illegal migrant kids health care: 'Perverse incentives'

Believes immigrants are "too often denigrated and made to feel unwelcome" and supports fighting hatred to uphold "justice, equality, and fairness for all."

Supports providing healthcare to undocumented immigrant children.

- Believes immigrants are "too often denigrated and made to feel unwelcome" and supports fighting hatred to uphold "justice, equality, and fairness for all."
- Supports providing healthcare to undocumented immigrant children.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Supports expanding access to higher education and career pathways through community colleges, workforce development centers, and public colleges and universities.

Opposes school vouchers, which allow qualifying families to use public funding for private schools.

Supports increased funding for public schools and teacher support to improve student outcomes.

- Supports expanding access to higher education and career pathways through community colleges, workforce development centers, and public colleges and universities.
- Opposes school vouchers, which allow qualifying families to use public funding for private schools.
- Supports increased funding for public schools and teacher support to improve student outcomes.

Education

Supports expanding early voting, mail-in ballots, and no-excuse absentee voting.

- Supports expanding early voting, mail-in ballots, and no-excuse absentee voting.

Voting & Elections

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Ghazala F. Hashmi

- Supports gun control laws such as universal background checks, safe storage laws, red flag laws, and a ban on assault weapons, "which are weapons of war."

- Believes immigrants are "too often denigrated and made to feel unwelcome" and supports fighting hatred to uphold "justice, equality, and fairness for all."

Supports increasing funding for Virginia's public schools.

- Supports reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy.

As of September 16, 2025, Ghazala F. Hashmi’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Supports access to "safe and legal abortions" and contraception.
- Aims to ensure affordable healthcare for Virginians, including  low-cost prescription drugs.

Supports access to abortion, contraception, and low-cost prescription drugs.

Aims to ensure affordable healthcare for Virginians.

- Supports access to abortion, contraception, and low-cost prescription drugs.
- Aims to ensure affordable healthcare for Virginians.

Supports developing plans for the homeless, better financial resources for homeowners, and expanding tenant rights and protections.

- Supports developing plans for the homeless, better financial resources for homeowners, and expanding tenant rights and protections.

- Supports protecting workers' rights to organize and bargain together for fair pay, benefits, and safe workplaces.

Ghazala Hashmi is from India. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Georgia Southern University and a master's degree and a PhD in American literature from Emory University. She lives with her husband, Azhar, and their two adult daughters in Richmond, Virginia.

Ghazala is currently a Virginia state senator. She was elected in 2019 and is serving her first term. 

As of September 16, 2025, Ghazala F. Hashmi did not have a website or any information online.

Supports protecting workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively, and advocates for a living wage.

Believes immigrants are "too often denigrated and made to feel unwelcome" and that the country must ensure "justice, equality, and fairness are a reality for all."

Believes education is a crucial priority for Virginia families.

Supports increased funding for teachers and vulnerable students, including English Language Learners and students with disabilities.

Supports fully funding public schools to ensure all children have access to quality education with modern technology and sufficient staff, regardless of zip code.

Ghazala is currently a Virginia state senator. She was elected in 2019 and is serving her first term. She is the first Muslim and the first South Asian American to serve in the Virginia Senate.

Supports affordable and accessible quality childcare.

Wants to address physician and nursing shortages statewide.

Supports reducing carbon emissions, transitioning to renewable energy, and protecting communities from flooding.

Believes immigrants are "too often denigrated and made to feel unwelcome" and supports ensuring the "ideals of justice, equality, and fairness are a reality for all."

Supports fully funding public schools to ensure access to modern facilities and sufficient staff for all children, regardless of zip code.

Supports increasing state funding for public schools.

- The lieutenant governor is the second-highest executive officer in the state. They are next in line to become governor if the governor cannot serve.  
- One of their main duties is to preside over the Virginia Senate and cast tie-breaking votes.  
- They do not have many day-to-day responsibilities unless assigned special tasks by the governor.  
- The lieutenant governor is elected statewide and serves a four-year term. There are no term limits.
- The lieutenant governor's salary is about $36,000 per year, as it is considered a part-time position.