Agitprop is political propaganda, especially in the form of art or literature, which is used to advance a political stance. A portmanteau of “agitation” and …
The “Washington Monument strategy” is named after a tactic used by the National Park Service to threaten closure of the popular Washington Monument when lawmakers …
A firehouse primary is a candidate nominating contest funded and overseen by a local party organization rather than public election officials.
A standard primary is …
A party convention in which delegates are able to vote for the candidate of their choice, and are not tied to the results of primaries …
A “backbencher” is a junior member in the British House of Commons who occupies the back benches of Parliament, sitting behind party leaders and top …
A “money blurt” is the strategy of using a politician’s controversial statements to attract a large number of campaign donors.
The Washington Post explains how …
A “steamroller” is someone who brings something about by means of brute political might.
A politician might be said to steamroll the opposition, or even …
To be “thrown under the bus” is to be sacrificed by someone hoping to avoid blame themselves, often in order to make political gain.
It …
“Borking” is attacking a person’s reputation and views for the purposes of denying them a political appointment.
Borking is characterized by intense scrutiny …
The term “oppo” refers to opposition research, a crucial activity undertaken by political entities to collect information on adversaries that could be used to their …
“Roorback” is a false, dirty or slanderous story used for political advantage, usually about a candidate seeking political office.
It’s a classic dirty trick.…
A “by-election” is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections.
Typically, they occur when the incumbent …
“Smoke and mirrors” are tricks used to obscure the truth, usually through distraction, misdirection, or partial truths.
The tactic can also be used to draw …
The “professional left” consists of left-leaning political pundits, paid activists, and the heads of progressive institutions.
Critics might use the term to highlight a perceived …
“Astrotweeting” is the creation of fake Twitter profiles to show support for a political candidate.
Bill White described the practice in an Texas Monthly interview …
“Morning in America” is a phrase from a 1984 political ad for President Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign to evoke a renewed American economic and social …
A “Mae West hold” is a type of Senate hold nicknamed because of the senator’s implied desire to make a deal, rather than block a …
“Dummymander” is a play on the term “gerrymander,” and it refers to a redrawing of a district map that actually ends up benefiting …
A “gadfly” is an individuals who, through persistent questioning or criticism, challenge established norms, policies, or institutions.
Their is often to provoke thought, stimulate debate, …
A brokered convention takes place when no one candidate wins a majority delegates during the presidential primary to earn their party’s nomination in …
Lettermarking is when lawmakers send letters to government agencies in an attempt to direct money to projects in their home districts.
This practice allows legislators …
To “smear” someone is to spread lies and false accusations in an attempt to hurt their public image.
Smearing is similar to mudslinging, but with …
The term “party faithful” refers to individuals who demonstrate unwavering loyalty and commitment to a specific political party.
These individuals are dedicated supporters and advocates …
A “press gaggle” is an informal briefing by the White House press secretary that, unlike a backgrounder, is on the record.
However, video recording …
A “pen and pad briefing” is a briefing held by lawmakers or White House officials at which video and photography is not allowed.
It’s similar …
“Ping pong” refers to reconciling the differences between a House-passed bill and a Senate-passed bill by amendments between the chambers, rather than forming a conference …
A phrase used by Vice President Spiro Agnew to refer to the members of the media with whom he had a very acrimonious …
A “motion to vacate” the chair is a parliamentary procedure in the House of Representatives that allows a member to propose a resolution to remove …
To “Akinize” is to try to diminish a political foe by likening his or her words to remarks on “legitimate rape” made by …
A “money bomb” is an intense grassroots online fundraising effort over a brief fixed time period to support a candidate for election.
This …
GOTV is an acronym for “get out the vote” or increasing voter turnout in an election.
It involves various activities and initiatives to …
Plausible deniability is the ability to deny any involvement in illegal or unethical activities, because there is no clear evidence to prove involvement.…
The “Eleventh Commandment” refers to the adage, “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.”
This unwritten rule encourages party unity by discouraging public criticism …
To “poison the well” is to pre-emptively present adverse information to an audience, with the intention of discrediting or ridiculing what another politician intends to …
A Rose Garden campaign is when an incumbent president takes advantage of the power and prestige of his office to help him run for re-election.…
Psephology is the scientific study and statistical analysis of elections and voting.
Through employing various quantitative methods and data analysis, psephologists seek to …
“Bundlers” refers to individuals or organizations that raise large sums of money from multiple donors to support a political campaign or cause.
These bundlers are …
The “Richards effect” is the phenomenon in which polls consistently underestimate support for female candidates relative to white male candidates.
The termed was coined by …
A “Sister Souljah moment” is a public repudiation of an extremist person or statement perceived to have some association with a politician or his party.…
A “gotcha question” is one posed by a reporter in an effort to trick a politician into looking stupid or saying something damaging.
These questions …
“You’re no Jack Kennedy” is a phrase used to deflate politicians who are perceived as thinking too highly of themselves.
The words come from the …