Stacey Plaskett is heading home to lead. The longtime Virgin Islands delegate to Congress won the territory's race for governor in a landslide, becoming the first woman ever elected to run the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Her win also places her in a much bigger chapter of American history. Plaskett and Georgia's Keisha Lance Bottoms both won on the same night, making them the first Black women ever elected governor anywhere in the United States.

A commanding margin

Plaskett and her running mate, Senate President Milton Potter, pulled in 11,865 votes, or nearly 63 percent, according to unofficial returns. That was more than all four rival tickets combined, clearing the majority needed to avoid a runoff. Her nearest challenger finished more than 9,000 votes behind.

The ticket was strong across the board. It won about two thirds of early ballots and still carried a clear majority of the votes cast on Election Day.

A message for little girls

Plaskett declared victory on St. Thomas shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday. She told supporters that they had shared what hurt and what mattered to them. She said they had also reminded her what is possible.

She then spoke to the next generation. Plaskett said she wanted every little girl in the islands to know that anything is possible for her. She thanked Potter for believing in their partnership and praised her father and husband as men strong enough to see women as their equals.

A longtime supporter who chaired the women's committee for the campaign said Plaskett had done her homework and is ready for the job.

The work ahead

Plaskett has served in Congress since January 2015 and spent five terms pushing for federal money to rebuild schools and infrastructure after devastating hurricanes. As governor, she says her job will be turning those dollars into finished projects. She has said the resilience of Virgin Islanders should never be an excuse for slow government.

She also heard plenty about daily struggles on the trail. Residents told her about the high cost of living, unreliable power, health care, schools, crime and the needs of young people. Plaskett said her goal is a government that truly works for the people it serves.

The results remain unofficial until they are certified. Plaskett is set to take office in January, ending more than five decades of men holding the territory's top elected job.