If you were watching the Virginia lieutenant governor primary back in June 2025, you probably noticed something pretty wild. It wasn’t just a "normal" election. It was a absolute scramble. Honestly, the Democratic side looked like a crowded elevator where everyone was trying to reach the top floor at the exact same time. Six candidates. One spot.
You’ve probably heard that these "down-ballot" races don't matter as much as the Governor’s mansion. That is a huge mistake. In Richmond, the Lieutenant Governor is basically the ultimate tie-breaker. With the state senate split so thin lately, that one person sitting in the chair can decide if a bill lives or dies.
The Democratic Free-for-All
On June 17, 2025, Virginia Democrats had to pick from a list that felt more like a "who’s who" of rising stars. We had Ghazala Hashmi, Levar Stoney, Aaron Rouse, Babur Lateef, Alex Bastani, and Victor Salgado.
It was a nail-biter. Like, "don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-the-lead-change" kind of close. Ghazala Hashmi eventually pulled it off, but look at these numbers:
- Ghazala Hashmi: 27.5%
- Levar Stoney: 26.5%
- Aaron Rouse: 26.2%
Think about that. One percentage point separated the top three. It was basically a three-way tie until the very last precincts in Northern Virginia and Richmond started reporting. Stoney, the former Mayor of Richmond, had huge name ID, and Rouse had that NFL-player-turned-Senator energy. But Hashmi, a former community college educator, really tapped into the suburban base that wants someone focused on "kitchen table" issues.
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What about the Republicans?
The GOP side was a lot quieter, but not because of a lack of drama. Initially, it looked like we might have a real contest. Then things sorta just fell into place for John Reid.
John Reid is a name you might know if you listen to the radio—he was a host on WRVA. He had the backing of the big names, including Governor Glenn Youngkin. His main potential rival, Pat Herrity (a Fairfax County Supervisor), ended up dropping out in April 2025 because of health reasons. That basically cleared the runway.
Reid was an interesting pick for the GOP. He’s the first openly gay candidate from either major party to run for a statewide seat in Virginia. It was a move that signaled the Virginia GOP was trying to widen its tent, even while sticking to core conservative principles.
The Issues That Actually Swung the Virginia Lieutenant Governor Primary
Most people think these primaries are won on big national talking points. Kinda, but not really. In the 2025 cycle, it came down to a few very specific, very "Virginia" things.
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1. The "Car Tax" Obsession
If you live in Virginia, you hate the personal property tax on your car. It’s annoying. It’s expensive. Babur Lateef made a huge push during the primary to repeal it entirely. While he didn't win, he forced every other candidate to talk about it. It became a litmus test for how much "breathing room" candidates wanted to give taxpayers.
2. Reproductive Rights
For the Democrats, this was the North Star. Hashmi specifically leaned into her record of sponsoring the Right to Contraception Act. In a primary, you have to prove you’re the strongest defender of the base's core values, and she won that argument.
3. The Trump Factor
Even in a state-level primary, the shadow of the federal government looms large. Hashmi and Stoney both framed themselves as the "shield" against the Trump-Musk administration's policies. They weren't just running for Richmond; they were running to be a counter-weight to D.C.
Why the primary results were so weird
Wait, why did Hashmi win with only 27%?
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In Virginia, we don't have runoffs for these primaries. If you get one more vote than the next person, you’re the nominee. This "plurality" system means a candidate can win even if 73% of the party actually wanted someone else. It's why the field stayed so crowded for so long; everyone thought they had a path if they could just find their specific niche of voters.
Money, Money, Money
You can't talk about a primary without talking about the "green." Hashmi raised a staggering amount—nearly $10 million by the time the whole cycle was through. To put that in perspective, the Republican nominee, John Reid, raised about $1.9 million.
The primary was the "expensive" part for the Democrats because they had to out-advertise each other in expensive markets like Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.
Actionable Insights for the Next Cycle
If you’re looking at how to navigate the next time a Virginia Lieutenant Governor primary rolls around, here is the playbook:
- Watch the State Senate: If the Senate is 21-19 or 20-20, the LG race becomes 10x more important. That's when the "tie-breaker" power is real.
- Early Voting is King: In 2025, the early voting period started in September for the general, but the primary window is also huge. Candidates who "bank" votes early usually survive the late-night swings.
- The "Educator" Profile: In Virginia, candidates with backgrounds in education (like Hashmi or Lateef) tend to over-perform. People trust them with the schools, which is always a top-three issue in the Commonwealth.
- Don't Ignore the "Down-Ballot": The LG primary often predicts who will run for Governor in four years. Winning this primary is basically getting a ticket to the big show later.
The 2025 primary proved that Virginia is still a "purple-to-blue" lab. The Democrats went with a progressive-leaning institutionalist, and the Republicans went with a history-making media personality. It set the stage for a General Election where Hashmi eventually defeated Reid by about 11 points (55.7% to 44.1%), taking office on January 17, 2026.
To stay ahead of the next political shift, keep an eye on the Virginia Department of Elections website for updated candidate filings and campaign finance reports through the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP). Checking these early—months before the June primary—is the only way to see who actually has the "legs" to go the distance.