UNITED STATES | Jamaican born Elaine Sears elected as Lt. Governor of Virginia

WASHINGTON DC, November 3, 2021 - Winsome Elaine Sears, a conservative Republican, will be Virginia's next lieutenant governor, Sears who was born in Jamaica, is the first Black woman as well as first female to be elected; lieutenant governor in the commonwealth's 400-year legislative history.

A 54 year old Republican,  Sears who emigrated to the United States from Jamaica at the age of six, won 52.25 percent of the votes, while her democratic opponent, Hala S Ayala amassed 47-percent of the votes.

As she claimed victory in her race to become the first woman and woman of color to be elected Virginia's lieutenant governor, Sears in her victory speech said: "I'm telling you that what you are looking at is the American dream."

Sears, a Marine Corps veteran, is quoted by Fox News as saying: "When I joined the Marine Corps, I was still a Jamaican, But this country had done so much for me, I was willing, willing, to die for this country."  She then led the boisterous crowd in a "USA" chant.

Congratulations @WinsomeSears⁩! You are the American Dream. Semper Fi ߑ갟纰 https://t.co/JGA5WylVqp

— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) November 3, 2021

"In case you haven't noticed, I am Black. And I have been Black all my life, but that's not what this is about," she said. "What we are going to do now is be about the business of the Commonwealth," she said. "We have things to tend to. We are going to fully fund our historically Black colleges and universities. We’re going to have safer neighborhoods, safer communities, and our children are going to get a good education," Sears declared.

Winsome Sears immigrated to the United States from Jamaica as a child, and was the director of a Salvation Army homeless shelter prior to entering politics. She also owns an appliance and plumbing repair store in Virginia, and previously served as vice president of the Virginia Board of Education.

She made history as the first black Republican woman to be elected to the Virginia House and  served a single term in the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 90th district from 2002 for one term.

-30-