INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana backed away from 40 years of GOP support in presidential elections by narrowly supporting Barack Obama, marking the first time since 1964 that a Democrat has won the state.

An unofficial tally showed Obama defeating McCain by about 23,000 votes, with all but nine precincts reporting. More than 2.7 million votes were cast.

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Analysis: Capitol WatchBlog

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Obama challenged McCain in Indiana early and often, spending money on advertising and making numerous appearances in the state.

Because of years of GOP support, Republican presidential candidates, including McCain, didn't spend much time or money courting Indiana voters.

Statewide polls were pretty much dead-on in the weeks before the election, tabbing the race a toss up.

McCain won many rural counties across the state Tuesday with 60 percent or more of the vote, but Obama offset that with big margins in many of the largest counties.

He won about two-thirds of the vote in Lake County, a Democratic stronghold that includes Gary and has the state's greatest percentage of minorities, and did nearly as well in Indianapolis, piling up a 105,000-vote advantage with 64 percent of the ballots.

McCain acknowledged as voters were going to the polls that Indiana was no longer a lock for the GOP.

Obama's campaign made Indiana an unexpected target during the May primary, which he narrowly lost to Hillary Rodham Clinton, and never let up.

He made 40 stops and spent about $6 million on TV commercials in the state during the primary, then spent at least that much more on Indiana television ads since June. The campaign also assigned dozens of staffers and opened about 40 field offices -- many in counties with minimal Democratic organizations.

Television ads on McCain's behalf did not begin in the state until late September -- and even then he was heavily outspent. The Obama campaign spent nearly $1.25 million on Indiana advertising from Oct. 21 to Oct. 28, nearly four times the $336,000 spent on McCain ads, according to an analysis by the Wisconsin Advertising Project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

McCain spoke Monday at a rally in Indianapolis, but his last previous stop in the state was on July 1. Running mate Sarah Palin made three trips to Indiana in the closing weeks, drawing big crowds to rallies in Noblesville, Fort Wayne and Jeffersonville.

Obama's efforts reduced the typical Republican advantages in some GOP strongholds.

In Hamilton County, the state's most affluent just north of Indianapolis, McCain won with 60 percent of the vote -- far less than President George W. Bush's 75 percent in 2004.

"The key for us was his commitment to keep that organizing going all summer and to keep the momentum from that later primary and build on that grassroots effort," said former Fort Wayne Mayor Graham Richard, a Democrat who supported Obama during the primary.

Republicans held out hope that McCain would hold onto Indiana even though he lost the presidency.

"We certainly understand that Barack Obama had a lot more money to spend here and all that, but at the same time it is about winning and they won," said Luke Messer, the co-chairman of McCain's Indiana campaign.

Tuesday's tight race came just four years after Bush carried Indiana with 60 percent of the vote. Lyndon Johnson's victory in Indiana during his 1964 landslide win over Barry Goldwater was the last time a Democratic nominee had carried the state.

Hoosiers React To Results

Hoosiers, often averse to change, admitted Wednesday that change is afoot, regardless of whether they supported Obama or McCain.

"He (Obama) campaigned hard here," said James Gillenwaters. "I think a lot of people here are grateful."

Race was not an issue for many in the election, but voters 6News spoke with said the results break down barriers.

"After all of the things Martin Luther King and everyone has been through, we finally have a black president, an African-American president," said Tyrone Thompson.

"I finally have a president I can be proud of. It's been a long time since I felt that way," said Mike Donahoe. "I think it is going to raise us in the eyes of the rest of the world."