Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor Race: Two Visions for the Commonwealth

By: Saahiti Kiran Chamala, Mason Votes Managing Editor

As Virginians prepare to head to the polls for the 2025 gubernatorial elections, the race for lieutenant governor highlights two sharply contrasting visions for the future of the Commonwealth. Ghazala Hashmi and John Reid bring different backgrounds, priorities, and approaches to governance.

The lieutenant governor plays a crucial role in presiding over the Virginia Senate and can cast tie-breaking votes on key legislation, making this race especially significant.

Ghazala Hashmi’s Campaign Vision

Ghazala Hashmi made history in 2019 as the first Muslim and South Asian American elected to the Virginia Senate. Since then, she has risen to a leadership position as chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee, reflecting her long career as an educator and advocate for inclusive values.

Hashmi’s campaign emphasizes access to essential services and defending democratic institutions. Her key issues include:

Reproductive Freedom & Health Care:
She has pledged to protect abortion access and contraception rights, positioning Virginia as a safe haven for reproductive health care in the South. Hashmi also advocates expanding access to affordable health care, lowering prescription costs, and addressing mental health needs statewide.

Education & Workforce Development:
Education is central to her platform. She supports fully funding K–12 schools, hiring more counselors and mental health professionals, and ensuring equitable education regardless of ZIP code. She also emphasizes expanding community college programs and workforce training for emerging industries like technology and clean energy.

Gun Violence Prevention:
Hashmi backs universal background checks, red flag laws, and a ban on assault weapons, describing gun violence as a “public health crisis” that must be addressed through legislative action.

Environment & Climate Action:
She supports transitioning to renewable energy, strengthening coastal resiliency, and advancing environmental justice in communities disproportionately affected by climate change.

Housing & Economic Equity:
Hashmi frames housing as a human right and supports policies to increase affordable housing, strengthen tenant protections, and create more pathways to home ownership.

Democracy & Civil Rights:
She strongly supports expanding voting access, combating bigotry, and defending LGBTQIA, immigrant, and minority communities.

To learn more about Hashmi’s campaign platform and initiatives, visit ghazalaforvirginia.com

John Reid’s Campaign Vision

John Reid comes to the race with decades of experience in media and political communication. A longtime WRVA radio host and founder of The Virginia Council, he previously served as communications director for U.S. Senator George Allen and as chief communications officer for a national veterans’ organization. His background also includes investigative reporting on government accountability.

Reid’s platform focuses on limited government, public safety, and cultural preservation. His key issues include:

Economy & Jobs:
Reid emphasizes lowering taxes, reducing regulations, and preserving Virginia’s Right to Work laws to encourage business investment and job growth. He wants to make Virginia more competitive in attracting businesses while supporting working families through economic expansion.

Public Safety & Law Enforcement:
A vocal supporter of police officers, Reid has pledged to defend law enforcement and prioritize community safety. He argues that strong policing and accountability are essential for stable communities.

Education & Parental Rights:
Reid calls for “first-class learning” focused on core academics, arguing against political or social agendas in schools. He believes parents should be the final decision-makers in their children’s education, including curriculum and school policy.

Cultural & Social Issues:
He supports preserving Virginia’s historical monuments and heritage, framing them as essential to understanding the state’s identity. Reid is also vocal on opposing policies he views as radical in areas such as gender identity, sports participation, and curriculum content.

Taxes & Government Spending:
Reid supports eliminating certain taxes, including the car tax, and cutting government spending. He argues that lower taxes will help families and stimulate economic growth.

Faith, Guns, & Immigration:
He strongly defends religious liberty, opposes new restrictions on gun ownership, and supports stricter enforcement of immigration laws.

To learn more about Reid’s campaign platform and initiatives, visit johnreidforvirginia.com

While both candidates are focused on the future of Virginia’s economy and education system, they approach these issues from opposite directions. Hashmi emphasizes investment in public services, environmental protection, reproductive rights, and expanded access to education and health care. Reid focuses on lowering taxes, limiting government involvement, protecting law enforcement, and promoting individual freedoms and traditional values.

The lieutenant governor will play a pivotal role in shaping Virginia’s legislative agenda, particularly in a closely divided Senate. Voters will head to the polls on November 4, 2025, with early voting and mail-in options available.

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Ghazala Hashmi Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hashmi_-_Porch_Headshot_(cropped).jpg, cropped. CC BY-SA 4.0.

John Reid: https://www.johnreidforvirginia.com/meet-john, cropped.