WASHINGTON — Ghazala Hashmi will be the next lieutenant governor of Virginia, the Associated Press projects, returning the office to Democratic control.

With her election win, the 61-year-old Democrat will continue a career of firsts for the commonwealth, becoming the first Asian American and Muslim to win statewide office. Similarly, Hashmi’s campaign also listed her as the first South Asian American and Muslim elected to serve in the Virginia Senate.

Hashmi has served in the Virginia Senate since 2020. Her 15th Senate district covers a smattering of communities directly to south Richmond, mostly inside Chesterfield County. Prior to 2023 redistricting in the Commonwealth, Hashmi’s constituency in the 10th Senate district included much of the City of Richmond and its outlying suburban ar

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