Ghazala Hashmi Makes History, Becomes First Muslim Lieutenant Governor Elected from Virginia

Democrat Ghazala Hashmi made history on Wednesday by winning the Virginia Lieutenant Governor's race. She becomes the first woman of Indian origin and the first Muslim woman to be elected to this office in the United States. After winning the election, her main focus will be to protect women's rights in matters such as abortion and contraception, and to implement strict regulations on the use of weapons to reduce incidents of gun violence. Additionally, Ghazala will also focus on improving the education system.

Spoke Out Against Gun Violence in America

From the outset, Ghazala was comfortably heading for an easy victory against her opponent, Republican John Reid, a radio show host. It is noteworthy that Ghazala was also the first Muslim woman elected to the Virginia Senate. According to her website, she is the first Muslim and the first South Asian American woman to serve in the Virginia Senate. She is among the American politicians who have openly spoken out against gun violence in the US and have demanded strict regulations on assault rifles and other dangerous weapons. She has also worked in areas such as public education, voting rights, reproductive freedom, pro-environment initiatives, housing, and access to affordable healthcare.

Ghazala Was Born in Hyderabad

Ghazala was born in Hyderabad on July 5, 1964. When she was four years old, she moved to the United States with her mother and older brother. Her father was already in Georgia, where he had completed his PhD in International Relations and begun teaching at a university. Ghazala later earned a BA with honours from Georgia Southern University and a PhD in American Literature from Emory University in Atlanta. She married Azhar Rafeeq, with whom she has two daughters. Ghazala was inspired to run for office following the decision by US President Donald Trump to ban citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries – Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen – from entering the United States.