Democratic newcomer Ghazala Hashmi defeated incumbent Sen. Glen Sturtevant in the 10th senate district — which, in recent years, has increasingly voted to favor democrats.
“When Virginia leads in the right direction, the rest of the country follows,” Hashmi said. “Not only have we made history tonight, we’ve led the country on the path to progress.”
Hashmi’s win makes her the first Muslim elected to Virginia Senate.
At a Democratic watch party, Hashmi gave a speech that echoed the same sentiments expressed by many of the party’s candidates.
“We will create meaningful impact on the climate crisis, on the improvement of our educational opportunities, and we will make sure that Virginians are not going to be continued victims of senseless gun violence,” Hashmi said.
In Henrico’s 12th senate district, Democratic Del. Debra Rodman, who gave up her seat in the House of Delegates, lost the race to Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant by less than 2000 points. The GOP incumbent has held the seat since 2016.
Both of these races were top targets for Democrats in their successful effort to gain control of the General Assembly. The party hasn’t won statewide in over two decades.
