(HuffPost) Democrats Ghazala Hashmi and Abrar Omeish made history in Virginia’s elections on Tuesday. In a surprise victory, Hashmi unseated incumbent Republican Glen Sturtevant in the state Senate, and Omeish clinched one of three vacant seats on the Fairfax County School Board.
Celebrating her win, Omeish, 24, said she was the youngest woman to hold elected office in Virginia’s history and also the first Muslim woman to be elected in the state. She shares that second accolade with Hashmi, who is also Muslim.
Hashmi is the first Muslim to be elected to the state Senate, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. Two Muslim men ― Democrats Ibraheem Samirah and Sam Rasoul ― currently serve in Virginia’s General Assembly.
