Mike Jones wins race to fill Hashmi’s seat in Virginia Senate

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Voters in Richmond and Chesterfield County have chosen Del. Mike Jones (D-Richmond) to fill the Virginia Senate seat vacated by Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi, according to the Associated Press (AP).

On Tuesday, Jan. 6, a special election was held to fill two recently-vacated seats in the Virginia General Assembly.

When Hashmi is sworn in as Virginia's lieutenant governor in late January, she will have to step down from serving Senate District 15, leaving that seat empty. In order to run for her seat, Jones had to vacate his seat in the House of Delegates, where he represented House District 77.

According to preliminary election results from the AP, Jones has won his bid for Senate District 15 by a large margin, defeating Republican candidate John Thomas. As of the time of reporting, Jones has secured 67.8% of the vote -- meaning he has a 35-point lead over Thomas.

RELATED: Charlie Schmidt wins Jones' vacated seat in Virginia House of Delegates

"Senator-elect Jones has already shown what it means to lead with results, integrity and a deep commitment to the people he serves both in his faith work and his elected positions -- delivering real progress and tangible results for our community," said Sen. Lamont Bagby (D-Richmond), chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA), in a statement celebrating Jones' victory.

Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, also provided a statement, which reads:

“Dr. Jones’ victory tonight is yet another proof point that Democrats — who remain focused on lowering costs for families — have the momentum across the country. In election after election, voters are rejecting Donald Trump and his unaffordable, out-of-touch agenda and are instead putting their faith in Democrats who will fight for working families instead of billionaires. While Trump and his Republican allies continue to make life more expensive for Virginia families, Democrats will use the trifecta in the Commonwealth to grow Virginia’s economy and protect the fundamental freedoms Virginians rely on. Tonight’s election is just the beginning — as we kick off 2026, Democrats are on offense.” 

Later Tuesday evening, Jones issued a statement on his win, thanking his supporters for the time and energy they put into his campaign. That statement reads as follows:

“I want to humbly and sincerely thank everyone who came out and voted in this special election. I also very much thank all the individuals and organizations who volunteered for me and who contributed to my effort. I particularly want to thank Governor-Elect Spanberger and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Hashmi for their support in a particularly busy time for them. Their confidence in my candidacy is very much appreciated. Together, so many made a huge difference. Now I am going to the State Senate, ready to get to work to help Virginians thrive by lowering the cost of living, creating good-paying jobs, achieving healthcare for all and fully funding all our public schools. I am committed to making a positive difference for my constituents and for all Virginians."

This reporting is based on preliminary election results from the AP. All election results are unofficial until certified by Virginia’s State Board of Elections.

8News is your Local Election Headquarters. To check out more of our reporting on Virginia's elections, click here.