Campaigning

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, …

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 …

A “cattle call” is a public event at which a big group of candidates for public office all speak.

The term comes from the acting …

“Flake rate” is a calculation of people who sign up to volunteer for political canvassing or events but do not participate.

This term is largely …

The “advance man” is someone who makes arrangements and handles publicity for the candidate during a campaign.

The advance man travels to a location ahead …

A “carpetbagger” is a politician who runs for office or tries to appeal to a constituency in a geographic area where he or …

A Shermanesque statement is a clear and direct statement by a potential political candidate indicating that he or she will not run for …

“Politics ain’t beanbag” Is an old-fashioned way of saying that politics can be rough.

People express roughly the same idea when they call politics “…

“Cutting turf” is plotting canvassing routes for campaign workers to knock on doors.

The term refers to the process of breaking up a …

A “snollygoster” is a political operative or candidate who uses cunning or ethically questionable behavior to achieve power.

It’s similar to what we call a …

Fusion voting allows a candidate’s name to appear on multiple parties’ ballot lines, and to combine his or her votes from those lines.

Origin of

A “body man” is an assistant or valet who follows a political figure around the clock, providing logistical assistance for daily tasks ranging from paperwork …

A “cookie-cutter campaigns” are political campaigns run by political consultants who use virtually identical strategies in different jurisdictions.

The typical sign of such campaigns are …

“Fence mending” means making an effort to repair a political relationship after it has been damaged.

This practice is often engaged in by politicians who …

To be on the “bandwagon” is to follow a group that has a large and growing number of followers.

A bandwagon is literally a wagon …

The “coattail effect” is a phenomenon whereby a political candidate or leader’s popularity leads to improved vote totals for fellow party candidates further down the …