In the 2025 Virginia election for lieutenant governor, two very different but equally groundbreaking candidates are vying for the office: Republican John Reid and Democrat Ghazala Hashmi.
John Reid (R)
John Reid is a political newcomer. Before 2025, his public presence came through the microphone — he was a talk-radio host at WRVA. In January of that year, he left his media job and launched a campaign for lieutenant governor.
Reid says he was galvanized to run by what he sees as overreach during the COVID era — from vaccine mandates to other regulatory decisions — and by civil unrest tied to racial justice protests and local crises like Richmond’s winter water failure. He argues that political discourse has become consumed by identity debates and cultural battles, at the expense of basics like infrastructure, safety, and the economy.
While Reid comes from a Republican family (his father once chaired a GOP district and served in the House of Delegates), he says he had no prior elective ambitions — in fact, he joked his parents might’ve skirted child-labor laws given how much campaign work they made him do as a kid. His campaign also marks a historic moment: Reid claims he is Virginia’s first openly gay statewide candidate, though he treats that fact as a footnote rather than a centerpiece.
Reid views his outsider status not as a drawback but as an asset. Without long tenure in politics, he believes he can act more independently and avoid the “party baggage” others carry. Though he emphasizes that he doesn’t intend to abandon conservative principles, he says he will seek common ground with Democrats when possible.
On key issues, Reid has pledged steadfast loyalty to conservative priorities: safeguarding Virginia’s “Right to Work” status (opposing mandatory union dues), resisting what he sees as excessive calls to expand unions, and preserving individual freedoms in debates like education and family policy.
Despite his party alignment, Reid has said that should he win, he would govern in good faith with whoever ends up as governor — acknowledging that Virginia often splits its ticket. Regardless of who wins the top seat, he promises to look for areas of agreement.
Ghazala Hashmi (D)
Ghazala Hashmi brings a mix of barrier-breaking credentials and public service experience to her campaign. In 2019, she became the first Muslim and first South Asian elected to the Virginia Senate. Born in India, she immigrated to the U.S. at age four, and over decades built a career in higher education before stepping into elective politics.
She edged out five other contenders in a tight Democratic primary, including former Richmond mayor Levar Stoney, securing the nomination by less than a percentage point.
Hashmi makes education central to her platform. Drawing on nearly three decades in academia — including teaching roles at the University of Richmond and at Reynolds Community College — she argues that strengthening public schools is not just a moral imperative but also a path to economic growth. She cites the diversity of student populations and the real-world challenges in public institutions as part of her vision for scaling opportunity across Virginia.
Another major concern for her is healthcare. She warns that anticipated cuts in federal funding — particularly via Medicaid reductions that may come from recent national legislation — will hit rural hospitals hardest. She predicts ripple effects across vulnerable populations, including seniors, disabled residents, and communities in remote parts of the state.
Hashmi has also pushed back on characterization from her opponent and others that she embraces extreme left policies. She forcefully accuses Reid of taking hardline stances: supporting an abortion ban, defunding public education, opposing marriage equality, and embracing ideas she says are disconnected from Virginia voters.
Her campaign emphasizes that representation matters: she says voters deserve leaders whose backgrounds and life experiences mirror their own, and voices that bring fresh perspectives to the Commonwealth’s challenges.
The Stakes & Outlook
Virginia’s early voting ends November 1, and the general election is scheduled for November 4. Though the lieutenant governor role is sometimes viewed as secondary, it carries real influence — especially in a closely divided Senate, where the lieutenant governor may cast tie-breaking votes.
This matchup is historic: Reid seeks to become Virginia’s first openly gay statewide official, while Hashmi could become the first Muslim and Indian-American to hold statewide office in Virginia.
On the issues, Reid leans heavily on conservative orthodoxy, arguing for protection of individual freedoms and caution about expanding government mandates. Hashmi proposes expanding public services, bolstering education, and shielding health care access in the face of federal cutbacks. The contrast in temperament is sharp: Reid pitches himself as an outsider problem-solver, while Hashmi offers experience in governance and public service.
As the campaign heads down the stretch, the question is whether voters will reward novelty and outsider appeal — or gravitate toward steady experience and progressive momentum. Either way, this race could reshape the narrative of Virginia politics for years to come.