Senator Ghazala Hashmi

Senator Ghazala Hashmi Contact information

Here you will find contact information for Senator Ghazala Hashmi, including email address, phone number, and mailing address.

NameGhazala Hashmi
PositionSenator
Statestate representatives     Virginia     
PartyDemocratic
emailEmail Form
Website
Contact Senator Ghazala Hashmi
Ghazala Hashmi, born on July 5, 1964, is an Indian-born American politician and a member of the Democratic Party. She serves in the Virginia State Senate, representing District 15, and assumed office on January 10, 2024.

Senator Ghazala Hashmi



Ghazala Firdous Hashmi (born July 5, 1964) is an Indian-born American politician and former academic administrator and educator. A Democrat, Hashmi worked as an educator and academic administrator for 25 years before running for office.

Early Life and Education: Hashmi was born in Hyderabad, India, in 1964 to Tanveer and Zia Hashmi. She spent her childhood at her maternal grandparents’ home in Malakpet, where her maternal grandfather served in the finance department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Her family moved to the United States in 1969. Hashmi completed a B.A. in English at Georgia Southern University and earned a Ph.D. in English from Emory University. Her 1992 dissertation focused on William Carlos Williams and the American ground of “In the American Grain” and “Paterson.”

Career: Hashmi’s career spanned 25 years in education and academic administration. She held positions such as Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Richmond and Professor at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. At the latter institution, she served as the founding director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

Political Milestones: In the 2019 Virginia Senate election, Hashmi won Virginia’s 10th Senate district, defeating incumbent Republican Glen Sturtevant. She became the first woman to represent the district and the first Muslim elected to the Senate of Virginia. Hashmi was officially sworn into office on January 8, 2020. In November 2023, she was re-elected to the Senate of Virginia in Senate District 15.

Personal Life: Hashmi moved to Richmond in 1991 with her husband, and they have two daughters. She currently resides in Richmond, Virginia.

Electoral History:

  • 2019 Election (Virginia Senate, 10th district):

    • Glen H. Sturtevant Jr. (Republican): 36,811 votes (45.60%)
    • Ghazala Hashmi (Democratic): 43,806 votes (54.30%)
  • 2023 Election (Virginia’s 15th Senate District):

    • Ghazala Hashmi (Democratic incumbent): 33,253 votes (62.16%)
    • Hayden Fisher (Republican): 20,042 votes (37.46%)

Hashmi has announced her run for the 2025 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election, aiming to become the first Muslim and South Asian holding a statewide office in Virginia.

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