Obama says recent Democratic wins prove Americans ‘don’t want cruelty’

Former President Barack Obama said in a podcast on Friday that the Democratic Party’s recent election victories show Americans “don’t want tyranny.”

In the latest episode of the progressive podcast “Pod Save AmericaObama celebrated Democratic victories in New Jersey, New York City and Virginia on Tuesday, saying they showed voters were “paying attention” and wanted more humane leaders.

“It was a good reminder that the American people are paying attention to this situation. They don’t want persecution,” Obama said.

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Democratic candidates notched victories in several state and local races on Tuesday. Democratic candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill won the New Jersey governor’s race, and democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York.

Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., also won Virginia’s race for governor. Obama was campaigning for the candidate days before the election.

Critics criticized Obama for approving a sentence involving Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones; He sparked outrage when leaked texts showed him imagining the murder of a state Republican lawmaker and her children.

Spanberger was attacked in the final weeks of the campaign by his Republican opponent, incumbent Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, for not urging Jones to drop out of the race.

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Former President Barack Obama speaks at a rally in Virginia. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Still, Obama said Democrats’ victories prove voters still value “decency and respect.”

“They’re not looking for people at the top trying to consolidate their power. They believe in community. They believe in treating people with kindness and respect,” he said.

Obama also praised what he described as the good character of the Democratic candidates.

“This election also taught us that if you have candidates who believe in the number one thing, have integrity, and are in it for the right reasons, they can win,” Obama said.

“We also learned that when young people step in and get involved, we win,” he added.

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Central New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks to reporters alongside members of his transition team at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, NY, on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Obama’s remarks about the integrity of Democratic candidates contradicted his comments about the Trump administration earlier in the week.

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Obama took a swipe at President Donald Trump during a rally for Spanberger, saying: “Our country and our politics are in a pretty dark place right now. It’s hard to know where to start, because every day this White House introduces a new set of lawlessness, recklessness, malevolence, and outright insanity.”