Outgoing Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) said Sunday that his Democratic colleagues faced a drubbing in the November midterm elections because they didn’t tell voters what they stood for.

“Democrats didn’t stand for anything,” Patrick, the two-term governor, said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “The Democrats who lost we’re the ones saying, ‘look we’re not as bad as the other guys and gals.’

“We are a party that believes in the American dream, we believe in collaboration between government and the private sector to enable the am dream. It‘s a broad based party. …

“That’s a very powerful story,” he said. “It is around convictions. And when we tell it, we win.”

In last month’s elections, Republicans took back control of the Senate and grew their House majority to record levels.