The polls hadn’t yet closed in Hawaii when news stations projected the swing state of Ohio had gone for Barack Obama, foretelling a landmark victory in U.S. political history.

“Thank the Lord!” exclaimed Faye Kennedy, glued to the television in her home in St. Louis Heights along with her husband, Pat Daly. “It’s the most exciting event in my life, not just because he’s African-American but because he’s managed to unite so many people.

“Bush has been such a divider, and Obama is such a uniter — and he brings the spirit of Hawaii’s aloha with him.”

Four years ago, Kennedy was a Hawaii delegate to the Democratic convention in Boston. She heard the keynote speaker had grown up in Honolulu, so she brought him a lei. “None of us knew how to pronounce his name,” recalled Kennedy, president of the Hawaii Women’s Political Caucus.

No longer. The candidate with the funny name and Hawaiian roots caught the country’s imagination and went on to capture the presidency by galvanizing new and old voters across the country.

Yesterday, Hawaii delivered the largest margin of all  the states to Obama, with three out of four voters supporting their native son. All over the islands, his supporters rejoiced.

“I think this is the most important election in the past century,” said Obama volunteer Nina Starr, 81, choking up behind heavy black-rimmed glasses. “Obama is obviously the right person. No question about it. He’s for the people.”

Several hundred members of the “Obama Ohana” packed the Pearl Ultra Lounge to celebrate his victory, exploding in cheers and group hugs when their candidate was projected the winner.

“Obama will be a president who not only understands Hawaii intellectually but carries it in his heart,” said Brian Schatz, a spokesman for the local Obama campaign. “We are proud not just because he’s from our hometown but he represents our hometown values. He understands that diversity is a strength, not a weakness.”

Also in the diverse crowd was George Scott, the first African-American to serve as chaplain at Punahou School, Obama’s alma mater. “I think this is the time to heal the land,” he said. “He has the ability and we all have the focus.”

At Republican Party headquarters, the mood was glum with a small crowd, including a group of Christian home-schooled children. McCain campaign chairman Andy Blom said he was worried about the future, and the possibility of Obama cutting funds for the military, which he said would hurt Hawaii’s economy.

“We’re disappointed,” Blom said. “We can only hope that Sen. Obama will be the president he says he will be and not what is reflected in his voting record.”

Gov. Linda Lingle, who campaigned for McCain on the mainland, said Americans should heed the call of both presidential candidates to come together. “I listened to both speeches and they made the same important point that now we have to pull together as a government,” she said. “We need to work in a bipartisan fashion.”

Shana Peete, an attorney, spent Election Day at Obama headquarters, making calls on Obama’s behalf. Peete, 30, grew up in Tennessee, and her parents were involved in the civil rights movement. She had a hard time sleeping the night before the election.

“This is definitely a huge, huge opportunity and event for our country,” she said. “I just think that we’ve come so far, although we have really far to go. It’s important for us to remember what it took to get here today. People bled, sweated and died for this.”