Amid a hard-fought and historical race for the White House, some Ventura County Democrats say it's time to unite around Barack Obama, the party's expected presidential nominee.

As voters in Montana and South Dakota went to the polls Tuesday in the year's final primaries, Democratic superdelegates flocked to Obama's side. Meanwhile, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said she wanted to take time to determine what to do next and how to help the Democrats win the White House.

Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson, campaigning for state Senate against Republican Tony Strickland, was an early supporter of Clinton.

"I'm disappointed she didn't get the nomination, but it's time for the party to come together," Jackson said.

Throughout the day, talk surfaced about Clinton taking the No. 2 slot in an Obama-Clinton ticket.

"If Hillary was qualified to become president, I certainly think she would be qualified to be a vice president," Jackson said.

'I want it over tonight'

Jackson, like many Democratic leaders, said it's time to focus on the November election.

Thirty-one delegates were at stake in Tuesday's primaries, and a handful of superdelegates indicated they would announce their endorsements of Obama once the polls closed.

"Obama, Obama, Obama, and I want it over tonight," said Mary Lou Van Sciber, 67, a Camarillo Democrat.

Her husband, Curt, a Republican, said he also will vote for Obama. But neither was enthusiastic about the possibility of Clinton running for vice president.

"I've had enough of Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton," he said, predicting that Clinton won't get the vice presidential nod from Obama.

Congresswoman Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, a superdelegate and supporter of Obama, said she is "happy he has secured the nomination."

"Both Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton have run excellent campaigns that have articulated visions for the change Americans are calling for," she said.

She added Clinton's candidacy has shattered another glass ceiling for women.

"I am certain that regardless of whom Sen. Obama chooses to run with him, he will beat Sen. McCain," Capps said, referring to Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Laura Winchester, first vice chairwoman of the Ventura County Democratic Central Committee, thought it would be a "dream ticket" to put a black man and a woman on the same ballot.

"I think it would be a wonderful idea," she said.

Not all sold on ticket

Oak Park resident Jay Kapitz is a pledged delegate for Obama.

"This is great news, this means the general election campaign starts tomorrow," he said.

Kapitz said Clinton was a good candidate who has 17 million supporters. But he thinks the two candidates are too different to run on the same ticket.

"Obama's message is change, a change from Washington as usual," he said, adding that Clinton has been "too inside" since her days as first lady.

Mike Osborn, chairman of the Ventura County Republican Party, said it would be a benefit to the Republicans to put "all the negatives on one ticket.

"We've got a good candidate that's winning against everybody across the country," Osborn said.

GOP: McCain can win

Leslie Cornejo, former chairwoman of the Ventura County Republican Party, agrees, saying an Obama-Clinton ticket is beatable.

"There is a large independent swing vote out there; since McCain is sort of a maverick, he could pull it off," Cornejo said.

Larry Miller is a longtime Democrat and Camarillo resident. Although he would like a reformation of the 24-hour cable news cycle, he is a self-professed news junkie.

"There are a whole lot of us who are not expending money and energy on this campaign until after Labor Day," he said.

He watched the election closely Tuesday and wants to see Clinton officially drop out of the presidential bid.

"If indeed Hillary Clinton's love of the country is as great as she says it is, then she should withdraw and accept Obama's request for the nomination."

— Staff writer Jose Sanchez Jr. and The Associated Press contributed to this report.