Washington (CNN) Former President Barack Obama on Wednesday expressed his desire for the nation to reconcile following the midterm elections while praising Democrats for "competing in places we haven't been competitive in a long time."

"I'm hopeful that going forward, we'll begin a return to the values we expect in our public life -- honesty, decency, compromise, and standing up for one another as Americans, not separated by our differences, but bound together by one common creed," Obama wrote in a statement.

Obama, who praised administration alumni who ran successfully in races, said what was more important than electoral victories was Democratic competitiveness in areas across the country.

"But even more important than what we won is how we won: by competing in places we haven't been competitive in a long time, and by electing record numbers of women and young veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, a surge of minority candidates, and a host of outstanding young leaders," Obama said. "The more Americans who vote, the more our elected leaders look like America."

To candidates who fell short, Obama offered a special message, commending them for infusing "new energy and new blood into our democratic process."

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