"I’ve never been more hopeful of our future. I ask that you sustain that hope."

So said Barack Obama Tuesday night, and we’re relieved and proud that Hawaii’s native son has won re-election for another term as president of the United States. In his acceptance speech in Chicago, a forceful Obama said he is "more determined and more inspired than ever" to lift America, and such determination was a welcome message indeed. It surely will be needed as the president redoubles his efforts to work with a divided Congress and re-energize an anemic national economy.

Last night’s win for Obama came after a grueling, general election campaign that burned nearly $1 billion and was too close to call by anyone hours earlier — but in the end, Obama edged Mitt Romney to earn another four years as the world’s most powerful leader. In choosing to continue the promise of universal health care across the land, as well as government’s hand to grow the economy, U.S. voters also chose to embrace a more tolerant, inclusive America.

Ironically, Obama’s electoral close call may be just the momentum he needs to surge forward as a stronger politician. Humbled yet determined, he must quickly set upon building consensus within a largely status-quo Congress: a Democratic-controlled Senate and a Republican-controlled House. Regardless of party, though, all politicians on The Hill are anxious and eager to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff" — the severe package of major tax hikes and spending cuts set to go into effect Jan. 1 that threatens to send the country back into recession.

With the luxury now of four more years, Obama can shepherd implementation of the Wall Street and health care reform laws passed during his first term. And re-election likely will embolden Obama, for the good, to revisit the deal he and Republican House Speaker John Boehner nearly pulled off during the debt-ceiling standoff in 2011.

"It will probably be messy," Obama told the Des Moines Register less than two weeks ago. "It won’t be pleasant. But I am absolutely confident that we can get what is the equivalent of the grand bargain that essentially I’ve been offering to the Republicans for a very long time, which is $2.50 worth of cuts for every dollar in spending, and work to reduce the costs of our health care programs."

Certainly, Obama’s win is a clear victory for continued implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Early provisions such as expanded coverage for adult children up to age 26 have been popular, and future "Obamacare" strides toward universal health care and lowering health costs deserve a chance to unfold.

We expect winning his second term will be liberating for Obama, whose early tendency to be safe and conciliatory sent vibes of weakness and indecisiveness.

"In his second term, President (Bill) Clinton passed the welfare reform act with the Republicans, and he balanced the budget with Newt Gingrich," noted Lanny Davis, former special counsel to Clinton, in musing about possible parallels.

In rejecting Romney, voters also remain open-minded on progressive social policies such as immigration reform, same-sex marriage and abortion rights. Indeed, in addition to more spending on infrastructure, Obama’s near-term agenda includes passage of an issue promised four years ago, immigration reform.

And where Romney on the campaign trail talked of more oil drilling, coal power plants and lower pollution standards, Obama has launched a track record toward clean, renewable energy and environmental protection. Under his adminstration, carbon pollution from new cars will be cut in half, thanks to new fuel economy standards.

Winding down an exhausting decade of war, America is poised to regain its economic footing even as it reduces its reliance on foreign oil.

For Hawaii, a renewed Obama presidency has many positive implications, understanding as he does Hawaii’s gateway role to the burgeoning Asia-Pacific region. Under his continued leadership, Hawaii stands to play an elevated role in this part of the globe, strategically via the military and economically via tourism and trade.

In all of these matters, and more, hope springs anew that a battle-scarred but resolute and wiser Barack Obama can lead this nation soon to better days. There is much hope again that, as the president stated last night, the "best is yet to come."