Obama celebrates Tuesday wins and tells progressives that voters are rejecting the Trump agenda

Former President Barack Obama arrives to a rally for New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill at a campaign event, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

WASHINGTON — Former U.S. President Barack Obama made a surprise appearance Thursday at a progressive event in Washington, telling the crowd that American voters are rejecting the Trump agenda and offering hope that divisions within the Democratic party can be bridged.

“We had a good night on Tuesday,” Obama told the crowds that erupted in loud cheers as he began speaking at a taping event for the podcast “Pod Save America.”

“It was a good reminder that the American people are paying attention,” he said. “They don’t want cruelty. They are not looking for people on the top trying to entrench themselves in power.”

The victories of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, and Democrats Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill in Virginia and New Jersey’s gubernatorial elections have spurred discussions about how a split between progressives and moderates will be addressed as the party hones its message in preparation for the 2026 midterms.

The AP Voter Poll, which surveyed more than 17,000 voters in New York City, Virginia, New Jersey and California, where a state proposition to redraw congressional districts succeeded, found that most voters disapproved of President Donald Trump’s performance, and many thought his aggressive approach to immigration had “gone too far.”

Obama recognized “there is a lot of work to do,” but said different factions “are getting along” and ”not in some cliché or phony way.” Sen. Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist who supported Mamdani, told reporters earlier this week that it was no secret that there was division among Democrats.

Obama told the crowds he thought the different sides would come around.

“We recognize we have differences,” Obama said. “Yes, there are fights that are going to be fought, but deep down there is something core in us that we have in common that is extraordinary.”

Adriana Gomez Licon, The Associated Press