Pod Save America, “Revenge of the Libs” (November 5, 2025)
Episode Overview
This episode is a celebratory and reflective conversation among Jon Favreau, Tommy Vietor, and Dan Pfeiffer (with Jon Lovett absent) about the wave of Democratic victories in the November 2025 elections. The hosts break down stunning results for Democrats up and down the ballot from mayoral races to state legislatures, ballot measures, and surprise upsets—including the election of Zoran Mamdani as Mayor of New York City, historic wins in the Georgia Public Service Commission, and blowouts in Virginia and New Jersey. The discussion is peppered with humor, candid political analysis, and thoughtful reflections on what these Democratic wins signal about the electorate, Donald Trump, and the road ahead.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. The Triumphant Democratic “Wave”
Immediate Take: The Joy of Winning
- Democrats and progressive causes swept major races: Virginia, New Jersey, Prop 51 in California, New York City, Georgia Public Service Commission, and Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
- “Did you guys forget what it feels to have a good election night?” — Jon Favreau (02:34)
- Results came in quickly, leaving little room for post-election anxiety.
2. Zoran Mamdani’s Historic New York City Win
Significance
- Zoran Mamdani becomes the first Muslim, first Democratic Socialist, and youngest mayor of NYC since the Tammany Hall era, crossing the 50% threshold with over a million votes.
- “He becomes the first Muslim mayor of New York, the first Democratic socialist, and the youngest mayor of New York since Tammany hall days, I guess. Pretty goddamn impressive…” — Jon Favreau (03:30)
Analysis of Mamdani’s Campaign and Style
- Mamdani’s effortless charm, relentless message discipline, focus on affordability and cost of living, and effective attacks on billionaire interests stood out.
- “He hammered costs, he hammered affordability… took a two by four to Andrew Cuomo's head in a pretty delicate way.” — Tommy Vietor (04:56)
- Managed to appeal to both progressives and even some Trump voters (garnered 9% of 2024 Trump voter support; 12:10).
Notable Speech Moments
- Quote: “We can respond to oligarchy and authoritarianism with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves...if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him.” — Zoran Mamdani (05:46)
- Mamdani explicitly rebuked both Andrew Cuomo and Donald Trump, notably refusing to offer conciliatory language, taking pride in his socialist and immigrant identity, and signaling a bold, unapologetic governing approach.
Media and Insider Reactions
- CNN panel “apoplectic”, expecting more of a unity message; Mamdani proudly chose otherwise.
- “He was not willing to let it go tonight.” — Tommy Vietor (07:04)
- The hosts debate whether picking a fight with Trump is strategically smart (consensus: warranted and empowering for the NYC context).
Lessons & Implications
- “Are we now a socialist country? And also Republicans are trying very hard already to make Zoran Mamdani the face of the Democratic Party… Is this going to work?” — Jon Favreau (13:10)
- Hosts conclude that the GOP routinely picks bogeymen (Pelosi, AOC, Omar) and that this strategy doesn’t consistently succeed.
- Key lessons: Running young, dynamic, and media-savvy candidates, focusing messaging on affordability and anti-corruption, and not shying away from progressive identities can drive even cross-partisan support.
3. Major Gubernatorial and Legislative Races
Virginia: Abigail Spanberger’s Landslide
- Spanberger elected first female governor of Virginia with a 57–42 margin—a swing of historic proportions.
- Democrats poised to gain 64 of 100 seats in the House of Delegates.
- Key quote: “…an unheard-of swing. Virginia Beach, another sort of bellwether county. Youngkin won by 8, Spanberger by 10. Just huge, huge shifts.” — Jon Favreau (19:48)
- Trump’s attacks on federal jobs and the government fundamentally hurt the GOP.
- “The biggest Democratic win in Virginia of our lifetimes, I think.” — Jon Favreau (23:26)
New Jersey: Mikie Sherrill’s Surprising Blowout
- Margin of victory (56–43 against Jack Ciattarelli) outpaces any expectations and bucks trend of third-term fatigue for Democrats.
- Republican efforts to distance themselves from Trump proved futile, and Cittarelli’s association with a sales tax hike hurt him on affordability messaging.
4. Other Notable Wins & Measures
Georgia Public Service Commission
- Democrats shock with double-digit wins (61–38 and 62–38), flipping seats not held by Democrats in decades.
- Steve Bannon, quoted on his podcast (War Room, 33:07), emphasized the gravity: “The midterms start tonight...this is going to cut deeper.”
California Prop 50
- Big win for redistricting reform, leveling GOP gerrymandering from Texas and boosting Dem House chances in 2026.
- Hosts note the risk Newsom took to get the measure on the ballot and credit grassroots mobilization.
Maine and Other States
- Maine passes a red flag gun safety ballot measure, while a restrictive voter ID initiative fails.
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court remains with the 5–2 liberal majority.
5. Meta-Analysis: What Does It All Mean?
On Voter Coalitions and Trump’s Weakness
- Democratic wins weren’t just about ideology; they pulled support across the spectrum, including some 2024 Trump voters and working-class minorities.
- “Spanberger won 84% of nonwhites without a college degree and Sherrill won 71% of them. That’s better than Kamala Harris in 2024.” — Ron Brownstein, paraphrased by Jon Favreau (28:07)
- Drop-off among some Trump-leaning voters suggested limited GOP ability to turn them into reliable midterm supporters.
Electoral Lessons
- Avoid running candidates in their 80s.
- Field young, digitally adept, communicative, and policy-focused politicians.
- All major races shared a focus on the failure of Trump-era Republicans to address economic concerns—especially cost of living and affordability.
6. Shutdown Politics and Democratic Strategy
The Federal Shutdown’s Aftershocks
- Trump blames shutdown for GOP losses; exit polls show cuts to federal spending/jobs haunted Republicans, especially in Virginia.
- With voters supporting Democrats despite dissatisfaction with national direction, hosts debate the timing and terms for ending the shutdown.
- “What in the data suggests what you’ve been doing for the last month has been the wrong approach?” — Jon Favreau (43:19)
Senate/Hill Chatter
- Senate Democrats reportedly mulling an off-ramp to end the shutdown, but the hosts caution any move must ensure substantive wins on ACA subsidies and involve the House for real progress.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
Mamdani’s Victory Speech
“We can respond to oligarchy and authoritarianism with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves…if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him.”
— Zoran Mamdani, Mayor-Elect of NYC (05:46)
Winning Across Diverse Districts
“What is the lesson from an election where a Muslim socialist won in New York and an ex CIA moderate mom trounced in Virginia and another, you know, woman with a military background, Navy pilot trounced in New Jersey? The common denominator is Donald Trump hasn't done anything about affordability and has made it worse.”
— Jon Favreau (15:49)
On Republican Scaremongering
“They always have a boogeyman. It’s Pelosi, it’s AOC, it’s Ilhan Omar, it’s whomever. Hillary Clinton. If it’s not one, they’ll pick another.”
— Tommy Vietor (14:10)
On Democratic Party Leadership Unsteadiness
“Meanwhile, fucking Chuck Schumer can't even tell us who he voted for in New York.”
— Jon Favreau (45:55)
Discussion on Schumer’s refusal to state his vote in the NYC mayoral race.
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Democratic Electoral Sweep & Opening Reactions: 02:21–05:43
- Zoran Mamdani’s NYC Victory Recap, Clip, Analysis: 03:30–13:41
- Mamdani’s speech excerpt: 05:46
- Cross-partisan appeal/exit polls: 12:10
- Lessons from Mamdani’s Campaign: 13:10–15:49
- Virginia: Abigail Spanberger’s Victory: 19:37–23:45
- New Jersey: Mikie Sherrill’s Win Analysis: 24:17–29:26
- Discussion of Downballot & State Races (Georgia, California, Maine, PA): 32:26–38:19
- Meta-Analysis, Meditakes: 38:33–40:23
- Shutdown Politics & Congressional Strategy: 41:26–44:55
- Leadership Critique: Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries: 45:55–47:58
- Closing Reflections & Voter Appreciation: 48:14–48:39
Tone & Style
- Conversational, candid, and often humorous; critical of both right-wing tactics and Democratic weaknesses.
- Confident and ebullient in victory, but still analytical and cautionary regarding future challenges and how today’s lessons might (or might not) translate more broadly.
Conclusion: “Democracy is Not Dead Yet”
The hosts end on a high note, celebrating Democrats’ wins, crediting volunteers and voters, and expressing hope going into the next cycles. The episode acts as both a post-mortem and a roadmap—acknowledging the importance of youth, message discipline, digital savvy, and a relentless focus on economic issues as keys to victory both this year and beyond.
For deeper analysis and more takeaways, check out the full episode or the Pod Save America transcript.