Virginia Democrats may lose control of state Senate as member's residency under question

Virginia Democrats may be facing issues retaining control of the state Senate as a senator who won her election last week is now under question for potentially misrepresenting her residency.

Democrats are slated to retain control of the Virginia Senate 21-19, but because Virginia requires candidates to live in the district they are running to represent, given the current controversy surrounding state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, the balance of the legislature may change. 

Hashmi, a Democrat who has served since 2020, said on her campaign paperwork that she lived in an apartment in North Chesterfield in Senate District 15, which she won with 61.9% of the vote.

However, four neighbors filed a complaint stating that Hashmi lives in Midlothian, outside of the district, and they provided a spreadsheet showing that they had passed her home 61 times in October to document her residency, The Daily Wire reported Saturday. The documentation also includes photos and notes that her car was present at the residence late at night and early in the morning.

If Hashmi is found to be ineligible to hold office, she may be replaced by a Republican, which would put the Virginia state Senate at 20-20 and give GOP Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears the ability to cast tie-breaking votes.

Even if Hashmi is found to be residing in the Chesterfield apartment, she may have still committed a felony by concealing that she owned a home in Midlothian on sworn election forms. Real estate records show that she and her husband have owned the home, which is worth more than $600,000 per Zillow, since 1999. It is not listed as being up for sale.

Hashimi represented the former Senate District 10, which includes Midlothian, but after redistricting this year, her home was put in District 12 and she decided to run in the nearby District 15, where she apparently rented an apartment to appear to have an address there.

Republican Glen Sturtevant Jr. won District 12, which includes Midlothian, with 55% of the vote. 

Republican Hayden Fisher, who lost to Hashimi in the election, said he plans to stop the election from being certified. 

"She’s disqualified, that means I ran unopposed as a matter of law," he said. "There’s no question whatsoever that she does not live in that apartment. ... She definitely clearly intentionally lied on that form. And she does not reside in the district so she should not represent it." 

Follow Madeleine Hubbard on X or Instagram.