Indian-origin Democrat leader Ghazala Hashmi has created history in the US state of Virginia. He won the post of Lieutenant Governor by defeating Republican candidate John Reed in the elections held on Tuesday. Let us tell you that Ghazala Hashmi has become the first Indian-American and the first Muslim woman to win this post in Virginia.
According to available information, Ghazala Hashmi secured the nomination amid tough competition in the Democratic primary held in June. She has previously been a college professor and has been associated with the education sector for a long time. After taking over as lieutenant governor, she will preside over Virginia’s state Senate, where Democrats currently hold a slim 21-19 majority. In this situation, in case of a tie on any issue, the vote of the Lieutenant Governor will be considered decisive.
It is noteworthy that after the victory of Ghazala Hashmi, her Senate seat will become vacant, which will now be filled through a special election. In another contest, former MP Abigail Spanberger registered a big victory by defeating current Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl-Sears. The Republican candidate neither got Trump’s support nor was she able to surpass Spanberger in terms of raising funds.
Let us tell you that Ghazala Hashmi was born in Hyderabad, India and she went to America with her family at the age of just 4 years. He holds a PhD in American Literature and has taught at several institutions, including the University of Richmond. In the year 2019, she entered politics and reached the Virginia Senate for the first time by defeating Republican candidate Glenn Sturtevant.
While in the Senate, she worked prominently on women’s reproductive rights issues and also introduced an important bill to ensure access to contraceptives. However, the bill was vetoed by Governor Glenn Youngkin after it passed both houses. Ghazala Hashmi has consistently raised her voice on issues of social justice and equal opportunities and now great expectations are being raised from her as she moves into her new role.