The state of Kentucky is 8.2 percent African-American, according to U.S. Census data, but last night marked the first time a black Kentuckian was elected to statewide office.
The trailblazer in question is Lieutenant Governor-elect Jenean Hampton, a Republican. A Detroit native and Air Force veteran, Hampton is a newcomer to politics, though in 2014 she unsuccessfully challenged a Kentucky state house representative. Hampton is a Tea Party activist whose 2014 race was endorsed by fellow Kentuckian Sen. Rand Paul (R).
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