At the opening of the Obama headquarters on Westminster Street in Providence yesterday, Providence City Solicitor Joseph Fernandez addresses the crowd from atop a small refrigerator. In the foreground, Melissa Boice, of Portsmouth, signs people in at the event.

The Providence Journal / Glenn Osmundson

PROVIDENCE — Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign kicked off its countdown to the March 4 primary yesterday with a roar: “Yes, we can.”

Campaign organizers opened Obama’s Rhode Island headquarters a day after he secured victories in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia,

The address: 235 Westminster St., a prominent downtown space used by Craftland during the holidays and the farmers’ market.

Sen. Hillary Clinton has opened headquarters on Broad Street.

For the opening last night, Obama campaign staffers secured some of the heavyweights in the state: former Lt. Gov. Charlie Fogarty and Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch — a superdelegate who broke ranks with the state Democratic Party and his brother, state party Chairman William J. Lynch, in endorsing the Illinois senator for president.

“Hope is sweeping this nation and Rhode Island cannot let the next president of this nation down,” said Lynch, speaking with the cadence of a preacher.

Polls might place Obama behind Clinton in the race for the state’s 32 Democratic delegates, but the dice are yet to be rolled, Lynch said, urging volunteers to get the word out “talking to friends, and neighbors … those in authority, those with influence, brothers.

“Yes, we can. Let’s get it done.”

Neither Obama nor Clinton has confirmed a visit to Rhode Island before the primary.