KEYRIS MANZANARES: Ghazala Hashmi is not the first woman to hold the office of lieutenant governor in Virginia, but once shes sworn in shell be the first Muslim American woman in the U.S.

to hold statewide office.

GHAZALA HASHMI: We know that immigrant voices and so many people of different faith, call Virginia home.

And, this is a chance to elevate a lot of those different voices and to make sure we have, full representation of everybody that lives here.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: Hashmi, a former English professor, entered Virginia's political scene in 2019 when she was elected to the state Senate.

She quickly became known as a policy focused legislator, championing public education, health care access and equity initiatives.

Hashmi says her two terms in office gave her a better understanding of the issues facing all Virginians.

GHAZALA HASHMI: Now, as lieutenant governor, I get to broaden that perspective.

I get to talk to so many people across Virginia.

My goal is to really bring, the issues that are facing folks all across the commonwealth to Richmond so that we can address the issues and the concerns and make some important progress legislatively.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: Hashmi says her experience in the state Senate will be critical as Virginia's lieutenant governor.

GHAZALA HASHMI: I knew it was going to be critically important that we have strong state leadership to respond to the crisis that we are seeing now in Washington, and especially now as we see, Washington handing back to the states so many critical responsibilities.

And, you know, we see an abdication of responsibility at the federal level.

And that means as state leaders, we need to respond to the crisis in health care, the crisis in our jobs, our economy, the rising cost of living for so many of our families.

That's the necessary work that we will be doing in this next administration.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: She also plans to leverage her deep connections in Virginia's General Assembly to work on issues that transcend party politics.

GHAZALA HASHMI: I think it's an asset that Virginia has a lieutenant governor coming in who has already spent six years in the chamber, and has built those necessary relationships not just in the chamber, but also in the House and also across state agencies.

but also in the House and also across state agencies.

So much of the work that we do depends on a host of different offices and agencies, agency leaders.

And these are critical relationships that I plan to continue to focus on and nurture over the next few years.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: The lieutenant governor serves as the Senate president.

Hashmi says she will examine the impacts of all legislation passing through the chamber.

Keyris Manzanares, VPM News.