According to international media, Ghazala Hashmi defeated Republican writer and conservative talk show host John Reid in the Virginia lieutenant governor’s race, becoming the first Muslim woman elected to statewide office in the country.

Democrat Ghazala Hashmi secured 1,272,699 votes while Republican John Reid got 1,043,090 votes.

Hashmi is currently a state senator representing a district south of Richmond. Prior to that, she worked as a college professor in Virginia. She entered politics in Elected in 2019 to the state senate, Hashmi defeated a Republican incumbent and helped flip the chamber, becoming the chamber’s first Muslim and Asian American in the process.

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As lieutenant governor, she will preside over the state Senate and be able to break ties in the chamber. The role could be crucial because with her seat vacant, Democrats will have a narrow 20-19 advantage with Hashmi leaving the Senate.

On the other hand, Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the Virginia governor’s race, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears to give Democrats a key victory heading into the 2026 midterm elections and make history as the first-ever woman.