The Richmond area’s rejection of former city Mayor Levar Stoney ultimately sank his campaign for lieutenant governor in Virginia’s June 17 primary elections. Instead, local state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-15th, will join former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger on the ballot in this November’s statewide races.
Hashmi emerged from the six-person contest for lieutenant governor with a razor-thin victory: With 27.5% of the vote, she defeated Stoney by nearly 4,000 votes and state Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-22nd, by about 6,500 votes. Hashmi will compete against Republican candidate and conservative radio host John Reid in the general election.
State Sen. and candidate for Virginia lieutenant governor Ghazala Hashmi at the polls on June 17 (Photos via Instagram)
Critically, Stoney lost every county affected by January’s water crisis. In the city, nearly 10,500 more Richmonders went for Hashmi (58%) than their former mayor (21%).
“Tonight, Virginians made history,” Hashmi said in declaring victory around midnight on Election Day. “We didn’t just win a primary, we sent a clear message that we won’t be bullied, broken or dragged backward by the chaos in Washington.”
Stoney conceded the race Wednesday morning.
Spanberger, who was unopposed after Stoney left the governor’s race to run for lieutenant governor, faces Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in November.
In the attorney general’s race, former Del. Jay Jones, D-89th, defeated Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor. Voters will choose between Jones and current Attorney General Jason Miyares in the general election.
Victors in Democratic House of Delegates primaries were May Nivar (57th); Randolph Critzer Jr. (72nd); Leslie Mehta (73rd); Lindsey Dougherty (75th); and Del. Delores McQuinn, D-81st.
In local races, incumbents Colette McEachin and Antionette Irving won their primary contests for commonwealth’s attorney and sheriff, respectively, and are expected to sail through the general election in heavily Democratic Richmond.
