Not many Jamaicans are willing to publicly support the former US President Donald Trump, presumably because Jamaicans have generally leaned towards the Democratic party, against the Republican party in the US. Also because of Mr Trump’s brand of belligerent politics.

Even more rare is to find a Jamaican running in an election in which she not only openly endorses Mr Trump, but thrashes the Democratic candidate, notably from a black-dominated district that had not been won by a Republican since 1865.

Mrs Winsome Earle Sears, who won the November 2 election for lieutenant governor of Virginia, was only six years old when her parents migrated with her from Jamaica to the Bronx, New York.

Indeed, those who study the phenomenon that is a Jamaican would not be surprised that Mrs Sears has blazed such a blistering trail of historic achievements in a white-dominated state — 69 per cent compared with 19.2 per cent black.

“From the time my family arrived in America from Jamaica, we have realised and appreciated the opportunity that the US provided us,” she said after winning the Republican primary election in May this year.

“However, we never could have imagined that would include the possibility of being the second-in-command of the home of the American and world’s longest-standing democracy.”

Mrs Sears, 54, a former marine pilot and owner and operator of a plumbing, electrical and appliance repair business, has done what no other black person or woman has done in 233 years of Virginian history.

She became the first black Republican woman elected to the Virginia House in 2002; the first female veteran to serve in the State House, and is now the first black woman to be elected to a state-wide office in Virginia.

Mrs Sears demonstrated that she was a political contender in the 2002 election when she ousted the 20-year Democratic incumbent of Virginia’s 90th District. But seemingly frustrated, she left politics after her loss to another long-time Democratic representative in Virginia’s third Congressional District.

Sensing an opportunity, Mrs Sears threw her hat in the ring for the Republican primary in May last year and defeated five other contestants to secure her party’s nomination for last Tuesday’s election.

Her narrow win — 50.9 per cent to her Democratic opponent Ms Hala S Ayala’s 49.1 per cent — did not tell the full story. Mrs Sears was outspent three to one by Ms Ayala, a native Virginian who was endorsed by the respected Washington Post, and had the considerable support of President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, and Vice-President Kamala Harris, among other high-powered personalities.

Mrs Sears faced pushback, not the least from Democratic–leaning compatriots, for her support of Mr Trump in the high-profile position as national chairman of Black Republicans for re-election of Trump.

Campaigning with an assault-style rifle, she advocates gun ownership, saying it deters crimes, not gun-control laws, which won her the endorsement of the National Rifle Association. Not surprisingly, Democrats labelled her as a right-wing extremist.

The lieutenant governor is president of the Virginia Senate. She has a potential tie-breaking vote on critical policy issues and is next in the line of succession to lead the commonwealth. Seven of the state’s last 14 governors previously served as lieutenant governor.

Her career will be closely watched.