The “rally round the flag” effect is when there’s a short-term surge in voter approval as the nation unites behind its leader during a crisis or emergency situation.
Political scientist John Mueller described the phenomenon in a 1970 landmark …
Ranked-choice voting is an alternative to plurality elections — which are when whoever receives the most votes wins, even if they don’t earn a majority of all votes.
Bangor Daily News: “Voters can rank as many of the candidates …
To “rattle the cage” is an attempt to get attention, often through annoying, angering, or protesting.
In politics, rattling the cage of a politician or party typically happens when a large group of people get together to protest and demand …
“Read my lips” ia a phrase used by George H.W. Bush in his speech for the 1988 Republican nomination for president. The full quote is “Read my lips: no new taxes.”
The line is credited with both helping him both …
Realpolitik is a system of politics based on concrete, practical goals, rather than on morality or abstract ideals. According to Merriam Webster, the term was first used in 1895. It derives from German, in which “real” means “actual” and Politik …
A recall election allows voters to oust an elected official, by means of a direct vote,while that official is still in the middle of their term. Recall elections are relatively rare and usually take place after the official does something …
A recess appointment is a presidential appointment typically requiring Senate approval that is made during a Senate recess.
To be confirmed, the appointment must be approved by the Senate by the end of the next session of Congress or the …
A “red herring” is a political diversion which draws attention away from something of significance.
Michael Quinlan notes the term likely originates from an article published on February 14, 1807 by journalist William Cobbett in the Weekly Political Register. …
“Red meat” is rhetoric on an issue used to inflame supporters. It is often associated with populist ideas and campaigns.
The phrase was first seen in 1911 in the movie industry, describing movies that were sensationalized. It shifted into a …
A “red state” is one whose voters elect primarily Republican candidates. It is the opposite of a blue state.
There are different levels of how ‘red’ a state can be. If a Republican candidate wins the vote in that …
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 political scientists Christopher Stout and Reuben Kline who noted that in the 1990 Texas gubernatorial …
Named after Senate Parliamentarian Emeritus Floyd M. Riddick, this Senate document contains the contemporary precedents and practices of the U.S. Senate.
It is updated periodically by the Senate Parliamentarian.…
Republican In Name Only (RINO) is a disparaging term that refers to a Republican candidate whose political views are seen as insufficiently conforming to the party line.
The phrase, without the RINO acronym, became first popularized during the Theodore …
A “robocall” is an automated telephone call that delivers a prerecorded message to multiple phone numbers. Typically, robocalls are used for mass messaging.
In politics, robocall are used in campaigning. Robocalls are sent out to potential voters, and the fact …
“Roorback” is a false, dirty or slanderous story used for political advantage, usually about a candidate seeking political office.
In 1940 the Chicago Tribune offered this definition: “A roorback is a false report about some alleged misdeed in a candidate’s …
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.
The phrase originally referred to a president staying on the grounds of the White House …
In politics, a “rubber chicken circuit’ is the nickname given to the endless parade of dinners that political candidates must attend during a campaign for office in order to meet donors and raise money.
The term refers to the pre-cooked, …
“Rumsfeld’s Rules” are a series of aphorisms, sayings, and observations about life in leadership, business, and politics by Donald Rumsfeld, who was a Congressman, Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense during his long, storied career.
These rules were …
“Running between the raindrops” is to dodge or deflect repeated political attacks.
The phrase is used to describe actions taken by politicians to avoid political aggression from other candidates or the media.
In other circumstances, “running between the raindrops” may …