A barnstormer travels around the country or state making political appearances during a political campaign. The events are typically set up by an advance man …
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 “robocall” is an automated telephone call that delivers a prerecorded message to multiple phone numbers. Typically, robocalls are used for mass messaging.
Robocalls are …
A “Dorothy Dixer” is a planted or pre-arranged question asked of a government minister by a backbencher of his or her own political party during …
“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.…
“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 …
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 jungle primary is an election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party.
It’s also known …
“Chicago-style politics” is a phrase used to characterize a supposedly offensive tough, “take-no-prisoners” or “hardball” approach to politics.
It often refers more specifically …
The “plumbers” were a covert White House Special Investigations Unit established during the presidency of Richard Nixon.
The group’s task was to stop …
Realpolitik is a system of politics based on concrete, practical goals, rather than on morality or abstract ideals.
The Financial Times notes that in realpolitik, …
“Borking” is attacking a person’s reputation and views for the purposes of denying them a political appointment.
Borking is characterized by intense scrutiny …
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 …
“Frugging” is an unethical fundraising tactic where a telemarketer falsely claims to be a researcher conducting a poll, when in reality the “researcher” is attempting …
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 …
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 …
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 …
“Dummymander” is a play on the term “gerrymander,” and it refers to a redrawing of a district map that actually ends up benefiting …
“Kingfish” is the nickname for Huey P. Long, the one-time governor of Louisiana.
Long was a divisive figure who played a larger than life role …
Agitprop is political propaganda, especially in the form of art or literature, which is used to advance a political stance.
A portmanteau of …
A brokered convention takes place when no one candidate wins a majority delegates during the presidential primary to earn their party’s nomination in …
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 …
“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 …
GOTV is an acronym for “get out the vote” or increasing voter turnout in an election.
It involves various activities and initiatives to …
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 “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 “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 …
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 …
“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 …
“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 …
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 …
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 …
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.…
A “money bomb” is an intense grassroots online fundraising effort over a brief fixed time period to support a candidate for election.
This …
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 “Sister Souljah moment” is a public repudiation of an extremist person or statement perceived to have some association with a politician or his party.…
“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 …
To “Akinize” is to try to diminish a political foe by likening his or her words to remarks on “legitimate rape” made by …
Psephology is the scientific study and statistical analysis of elections and voting.
Through employing various quantitative methods and data analysis, psephologists seek to …
A “Senate hold” is how a U.S. senator informally signals his objection to a bill or presidential nomination.
Most congressional actions clear parliamentary hurdles by …
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 …
A “demon sheep” is a sinister politician who pretends to be what he is not.
It’s a derogatory term related to Republicans who …
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 …
A phrase used by Vice President Spiro Agnew to refer to the members of the media with whom he had a very acrimonious …
“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 …
In politics, a “safety net” – also known as a “social safety net” – refers to the welfare programs that are designed to provide benefits …
Blue-slipping is a term that originates from the United States Congress and refers to a procedural action taken by the House of Representatives to assert …
A “heck of a job” is a complete and total screw-up.
It’s used, ironically, to show when one’s view of a situation is in contradiction …
Plausible deniability is the ability to deny any involvement in illegal or unethical activities, because there is no clear evidence to prove involvement.…
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 …
A patriot is a person who loves, supports, and defends one’s country.
The term “patriot” is derived from the Latin word “patriota,” which means “fellow …
A “spoiler” is a candidate who has no chance of winning, but whose candidacy still impacts the outcome of the election.
A spoiler candidate …
A “shadow cabinet” is formed when the opposition party in a parliamentary system appoints members to serve in each of the cabinet-level positions — even …
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 …
A “slush fund” is an unregulated store of money which is often used for illicit or illegal purposes.
A slush fund can come from political …
An annual picnic in Fancy Farm, Kentucky that has come to represent the traditional starting point of the fall campaign season in Kentucky.
The gathering …
Godwin’s Law is a term first promulgated in 1990 by author and lawyer Mike Godwin.
Originally intended as a lesson in information “memetics,” or how …
A “kangaroo ticket” is a ticket for higher office in which the person at the bottom of the ticket is considered more electable or is …
“Dark money” describes political donations that are made by individuals or organizations in a way that hides their identity from the public.
In the United …
The “Checkers speech” was a televised address given by then-Senator Richard Nixon on September 23, 1952 as he was fighting to retain his …
A “gypsy moth Republican” is a pejorative term used by conservative Republicans to describe a moderate members of their party who represent a Northeastern or …
A stump speech is a speech that a politician makes again and again as they travel to different places during a campaign.
The speech might …
Aardvarking is recruiting candidates for public office with the main objective of having their names begin with the letter A.
The practice of aardvarking is …
“Arsenal of democracy” is a term that was first coined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a radio address to the nation on …
To have your opponent by the “short hairs” means that you’ve got them in a tight spot, and they are at your mercy.
If you’re …
“Filling the tree” is a procedure used by the Senate Majority Leader to offer a sufficient number of amendments on legislation to “fill the tree” …
In the second half of the 20th century, the Republican party used the so-called “Southern strategy” to win the votes of white southerners.
White southerners …
A leak in politics is the spread of secret, often unfavorable, news about a politician to the media by someone in his or her inner …
A “favorite son” candidate is one who draws their support from the home state or from the broader region. Sometimes the term is also used …
“Beltway bandits” describes a private business or political entity that operates inside the Beltway, the interstate highway that encircles Washington, D.C.
More specifically, the …
A “flip-flop” is a sudden reversal of opinion or policy by a politician, usually running for office.
The term is often used pejoratively to suggest …
A “Cherokee Strip” is the seating area in the U.S. Senate chamber when some members of the majority party mist sit on the side of …
The term “bean counter” is a slang term used to refer to individuals who are perceived as overly focused on financial or budgetary concerns, often …
The “spoils system” describes when a candidate wins election and then rewards campaign staffers and fundraisers by appointing them to prized jobs in the administration.…
“Soft power” is the ability to obtain what one wants through co-option rather than the use of coercion.
In recent years, the concept of soft …
The “Washington Read” is the phenomenon by which, through a form of intellectual osmosis, a book is absorbed “inside the Beltway.”
From the …
“Bunk” is empty or nonsense talk.
In 1820, Rep. Felix Walker from Ashville, North Carolina justified his long-winded and somewhat irrelevant remarks about the Missouri …
The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate each have a sergeant-at-arms, whose job it is to maintain order in the legislative chamber.
The sergeant-at-arms …
The term “bafflegab” is used to describe language or speech that is intentionally vague, misleading, or difficult to understand.
In politics, it is often used …
“Spin Alley” is the place designated after a political debate where reporters interview analysts and campaign operatives who attempt to “spin” the news coverage of …
“Triangulation” is when a political candidate presents his or her views as being above and between the left and right sides of the …
The term “germane” is used to describe the requirement that proposed amendments or provisions introduced during the legislative process must be relevant and directly related …
Releasing bad news or documents on a Friday afternoon in an attempt to avoid media scrutiny is often called a “Friday news dump” by members …
“Smell of jet fuel” is a reference to the impatience that sets in when Members of Congress are ready to leave Washington, D.C. to return …
The term “Teflon president” describes a president who has a seemingly magical ability to avoid blame.
A Teflon president is so charismatic that — like …
A “push card” is a small, easy access, wallet-sized campaign sign typically given to a potential voter during door-to-door canvassing or at an event.
They’re …
In politics, a “turkey farm” refers to a government agency or department that is staffed primarily with political appointments and other patronage hires.
In …
A “discharge petition” is a strategic, often controversial, legislative tool that serves to circumvent traditional committee review and bring a bill directly to …
An “elastic state” is one whose voting outcome in a presidential election is relatively sensitive or responsive to changes in political conditions, such as a …
“Chum” is campaign gear such as bumper stickers, lawn signs, and campaign buttons.
The concept of chum draws its metaphorical origins from the practice of …
An “autopsy report” is a comprehensive examination and analysis performed by a political party, organization, or think tank following an electoral defeat.
The primary objective …
The “cracker vote” refers to native Floridian white voters, whose families have typically lived in the state for generations.
The term “cracker” originated in the …
In politics, “mudslinging” is a tactic used by candidates or other politicians in order to damage the reputation of a rival politician by using epithets, …
A “straw poll” refers to an informal or unofficial vote conducted to gauge the popularity of candidates running for office, or to measure the opinion …
The “Fourth Estate” refers to the news media, especially with regards to their role in the political process.
The phrase has its origins in the …
A “scorched earth” approach is a ruthless attempt to win at all costs.
A “take no prisoners” approach is a rough synonym; both terms imply …
“Heroes in the balcony” refers to a tradition started by President Ronald Reagan during his State of the Union addresses.
It involves inviting ordinary citizens …
A “front-porch campaign” is one in which the candidate stays close to home throughout the election race.
Instead of crisscrossing the country to woo voters, …
An invisible primary begins when a candidate formally announces their plans to run for office.
It’s an opportunity to find out how much support they …
“Bundling” refers to the practice of collecting contributions from multiple donors and submitting them to a political campaign or political action committee (PAC) as a …
The use of a “killer amendment” — sometimes called a “poison poll amendment” or “wrecking amendment” — is a legislative strategy of using an amendment …