Dear Friend,

This week’s newsletter reflects on Tuesday’s Primary Election results, shares information from the recent meetings of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee and the Joint Commission on Health Care, discusses upcoming Mobile Office Hours with my office, and highlights select community engagements from this past week. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.

Virginia’s Democratic Ticket

I am deeply honored to receive the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, and the energy surrounding our newly-formed ticket has been amazing. Joining our nominee for Governor, Abigail Spanberger, and our Attorney General nominee Jay Jones has been immensely gratifying as we unite on our common core values of working hard for all Virginians. I want to sincerely thank all the voters, so many volunteers, and wonderful supporters across the Commonwealth who have placed their trust in our vision for a more inclusive, equitable, and forward-looking Virginia. I also want to thank my fellow Democrats who ran alongside me in our lieutenant governor primary. Each candidate brought important ideas, passion, and a deep commitment to serving Virginians. Together, as a unified ticket and Party, we are building a future where every child has access to quality education, every family can afford healthcare, and every community has a voice. I’m excited for the work ahead—and I’m grateful to stand with you in this movement for progress.

Throughout this week, Jay and I are joining Abigail on the Span Virginia Bus Tour! We invite everyone to come out and join us as we visit many localities this week.

Committees and Commissions

Early Wednesday morning, I joined the Senate Finance and Appropriations (SFAC) as a committee member to hear presentations from Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Department of General Services. Most salient were presentations given on the impacts of Donald Trump’s signature policy HR 1 (known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act) and his budget to the Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), commonly referred to as Virginia Medicaid. 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which falls under DSS, serves nearly 900,000 Virginians every month, predominantly working families, people with disabilities, and those with low incomes. Changes outlined in the House of Representatives version of HR 1 would increase the cost to the Commonwealth by roughly $90 million per year to cover administrative costs and an increased required state match. DSS also highlighted the elimination of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in HR 1. This program, which served 215,000 Virginians in 2024, provides temporary assistance for heating and cooling, energy crises, weatherization, and minor energy-related home repairs. For months, I have been outlining the disastrous impacts that federal-level proposals would have on Medicaid expansion in Virginia. DMAS’ presentation highlighted that, under HR 1, adults covered under Medicaid expansion must determine eligibility every six months; these additional requirements not only increase barriers on those seeking services, but also create additional work for the limited staff within our state agencies. All presentations can be accessed through the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee and the meeting recording is available through the Legislative Information System. 

That same morning, I also served as interim Chair of the Joint Commission on Health Care which met to hear two background briefings on access to pharmacy services in Virginia and strategies to address transportation-related barriers to health care. In October, the Commission will hear the final reports of these studies and use the findings to determine our collective legislative and budgetary priorities for the 2026 session. The meeting recording is available on the Legislative Information System. 

Mobile Office Hours - Tuesday, June 24

Tomorrow, June 24, my staff will host our fourth 2025 Mobile Office Hours at Chester Library located in Chesterfield County. Staff will be able to assist with casework involving state agencies, discuss legislative concerns, and receive feedback from constituents on issues that matter to them. Registration is open. ¿Necesita servicios en español? Haga clic aquí. Future mobile office hours will be announced in this newsletter, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and X. 

Select Community Engagements

On Thursday, I joined The Branch Museum of Design’s Juneteenth community celebration, marked by the opening of two new exhibitions showcasing creative expressions inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as the work of over 15 Virginia-based Black artists. Visitors can enjoy both exhibitions from now until July 12.

On Friday evening, I joined South Asian leaders from the OPEN Global Organization to discuss my vision for uplifting and empowering the dreams of Virginians on their entrepreneurial journeys.

I began a Saturday full of events, joining U.S. Senator Mark Warner's town hall to hear directly from constituents across Central Virginia on the impacts of a Republican-controlled Washington: the firing of federal workers, cuts to critical healthcare programs and research, weakening of data privacy resulting from DOGE cuts, and more. Virginia is grateful to have leaders like Senator Warner, who listen to constituents' concerns and seek solutions, ensuring no one is left behind.   

Shortly after, our coordinated Democrat campaigns for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General joined supporters in Richmond, kickstarting the first of 40 stops across the Commonwealth on the Span Virginia Bus Tour. Over the next eight days, we will be connecting with voters across Virginia to hear directly about the top-of-mind issues facing their communities.

That same evening, I stood united alongside Abigail Spanberger and Jay Jones at the Blue Commonwealth Gala and hundreds of Democrats across Virginia who are ready to get to work to elect leaders in Richmond who will fight for a more just and equitable Virginia for all.

On Sunday, I joined supporters in Petersburg, McKenney, and Lawrenceville for our second Bus Tour stop. Voters are ready to expand our House of Delegates majority and elect a Democrat slate prepared to deliver tangible results for communities across Southside Virginia. 

Connecting With My Office

My office can be reached at the following:

Email:  [email protected] 

Phone:  804.698.7515

If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here. 

— Ghazala

Email us: [email protected]

This email was sent to [email protected]. Email is the most important way we keep in touch with people like you, so thank you for reading to the end.

Friends of Ghazala Hashmi
PO Box 72923
Richmond, VA 23235
United States

GhazalaHashmi.com

unsubscribe