2025 Virginia Lieutenant Governor Voters Guide
Ghazala Hashm (D) vs John Reid (R)
The Candidates
Legal. “I will never stop fighting for reproductive health care, including access to abortion and to contraception.” Voted to expand access to abortion. Sponsored a bill to shield VA abortion providers from extradition to another state.
Unclear. Nothing found on climate change. Supports “responsible solar development on rooftops, brownfields, and marginal lands while protecting prime farmland.”
Increase. “We must ensure that regulations protect consumers, leave room for innovation, and promote jobs in the digital economy.” “I’ve been working to strengthen Virginia’s economy and create jobs by investing in workforce development.”
Mixed. “By advocating for lower taxes and deregulation,” his “policies will focus on creating a thriving economic environment that encourages investment.” “I want the government out of your life as best as possible.” Would invest in rural infrastructure.
No. “I proudly defeated Governor Youngkin’s efforts to funnel public education dollars into private schools.” “We will struggle to pay for it [public education] if we divert public funds to private schools.”
Yes. “Charter, church, and home school opportunities and funding must be expanded.” “I say we break the whole system and start over… with vouchers to let people send their kids to their own choice!!!”
Yes. “We need to prioritize fully funding our public schools.” Introduced a bill to end a nearly 20-year cap on funding support positions in public schools.
Unclear. “Wants the government to provide opportunities for your kids but not mandates and indoctrination.” Supports technical education and expanded “Vocational Ag Education.”
No. Opposes “attempts to ban books and whitewash our history.”
Yes. “Sensitive content, about gender identity, sexuality, or political ideology, should require parents to opt in.” “The time of anti-western and anti-American indoctrination must stop.”
Tighten. Voted to require gun sale background checks. Voted for a Virginia assault weapons ban. Voted for a red flag law, allowing for courts to temporarily remove guns from people deemed to pose risk of injury to themselves or others.
Loosen. “John Reid is a gun owner and has his concealed carry permit…. Guns are not the problem in modern American society.” “Will loudly fight against any efforts to disarm or burden law abiding citizens.”
Yes. Opposes federal cuts to Virginia’s Medicaid expansion, “ripping health insurance away from more than 300,000 Virginians.” “Given federal threats, protecting Medicaid… is a top priority.”
Unclear. Denies that 322,000 Virginians could lose Medicaid coverage with federal cuts; that loss would only happen to those “who weren’t supposed to be on the rolls in the first place,… people who have been gaming the system.”
“Is dedicated to enforcing immigration laws, not allowing localities to ignore them.” Would ensure “that our immigration policies are respected and uniformly applied across all communities.”
Expand. Voted to protect same-sex marriage. Voted to extend existing state non-discrimination protections to LGBTQ people. “Too many… communities are under attack as they face LGBTQIA bigotry.”
Mostly limit. Opposes the amendment to repeal the VA ban on same-sex marriage, since “it doesn’t provide protection for people who sincerely don’t agree with gay marriage.” “It is factually impossible for biological men or women to personally decide to change their gender.”
Yes. Voted in 2020 to gradually raise the minimum from $7.25 to $12. Voted to raise the minimum to $15 by 2027, vetoed. Voted to limit and then end the use of subminimum wages for employees with disabilities.
Yes. “Loan forgiveness for students and families struggling with the high cost of education spurs local economies, helps young people invest in homes and start families.” Introduced a bill to ban the practice of withholding college transcripts from students as a form of debt collection.
No position found.
Oppose. “Trump’s reckless tariffs are killing jobs and devastating our families.” Expects to see economic disruptions and higher prices.
Support. “The Trump tariffs aren’t really tariffs – they’re a short term tool to disrupt the status quo that has been killing American workers and businesses.”
Introduced a bill to exempt low-income homeowners from local property tax. Would close corporate tax loopholes. Seeks “an overhaul of Virginia’s outdated tax code so that the individual income tax is more fair.”
Is “advocating for tax breaks and tax elimination for working Virginians and for businesses…. will fight to finally eliminate the hated car tax and to lower real estate taxes and burdensome business taxes. Government must do less with less.”
Easier. Voted to repeal Virginia’s mandatory voter photo ID, allowing voters to instead sign a sworn statement of identity. Voted to permit no-excuse-required absentee voting. “We must protect and continue to build on the Democratic successes of expanding early voting, mail-in ballots, and no-excuse absentee voting.”
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