JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<select>
    <option value="1">option 1</option>
    <option selected="selected" value="2">option 2</option>
</select>

JavaScript

// detach just the option tags from the DOM
var opts = $("select").find("option").detach(),
    
    // the last (selected) option tag
    selected = opts.last();

// so far so good...
console.log( "selected tag is", selected );

// still ok...
console.log( "selected attr:", selected[0].getAttribute("selected"), "selected prop:", selected[0].selected );

// throws elem.parentNode is null (FF) / Cannot read property 'selectedIndex' of null (webkit)
console.log( selected.is(":selected") );