Virginia Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi has endorsed Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in his bid for U.S. Senate in Michigan, citing shared backgrounds in education and public service as well as overlapping policy priorities.
“Dr. El-Sayed and I come from a shared tradition of education and public service, and we both understand the responsibilities that come with a focus on building resilient and healthy communities,” Hashmi said in a statement announcing the endorsement. “My decision to endorse reflects my alignment with Dr. El-Sayed’s stated priorities, including an economy that works for everyone, Medicare for All, affordable housing, clean air, water, and soil protections, and support for labor and the rights of working people.”
El-Sayed responded with praise of his own. “Lieutenant Governor Hashmi has spent her career breaking barriers and opening doors for others,” he said. “Her leadership has always been about delivering for the people she serves — from lowering costs and expanding access to healthcare to defending reproductive freedom and voting rights. I’m proud to have her support as we fight together to put working people back at the center of our politics.”
Hashmi’s record in Richmond
Hashmi served six years in the Virginia Senate before winning the lieutenant governor’s race last year alongside Gov. Abigail Spanberger and Attorney General Jay Jones. During her time in the state Senate, she backed measures including looser restrictions on abortion, government-funded health coverage for children regardless of immigration status, a $15 minimum wage, expanded government involvement in housing policy, and environmental regulations. In 2025, she described herself as having been a “champion for progressive legislation and goals.”
The lieutenant governor’s role in Virginia is largely ceremonial, but the position carries significance for the state’s political future. If Spanberger were to leave office before her term ends in 2029 — for instance, to pursue a role in a future national ticket — Hashmi would ascend to the governorship. She would also be positioned to run for governor when Spanberger’s term concludes in 2029, though former Attorney General Jason Miyares and former Gov. Glenn Youngkin have both been mentioned as potential Republican contenders for that race.
El-Sayed is running for the Democratic nomination in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race. Hashmi’s endorsement is one of several she has made as she builds a national profile ahead of her own political future in Virginia.
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