It’s used in American politics to describe a member of the Democratic Party whose political views or actions are considered too conservative or not aligning sufficiently with the party’s platform or with the views of the party’s core members.
The term is often used pejoratively and indicates a criticism of the individual’s political alignment as not being “truly” or “fully” Democratic.
The concept of a DINO arises from the broad range of ideological beliefs that can exist within a single political party.
In the United States, both of the major parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, encompass a spectrum of views on various issues, from economic policy to social issues.
A person might identify as a member of a party but hold views on certain key issues that are more commonly associated with the other party.
When these deviations are significant or numerous, other members of the party might label the person a DINO (or, in the case of the Republican Party, a RINO – Republican In Name Only).
For example, a Democratic politician who supports policies typically associated with Republicans, such as lower taxes for the wealthy, reduced regulation of business, or conservative social policies, might be labeled a DINO.
The term could also be applied to a Democratic politician who frequently votes with Republicans or otherwise acts in a way that is perceived as supporting the Republican Party more than the Democratic Party.
Former Sen. Zell Miller (D-GA) was the perfect example of a DINO. He was a registered Democrat and caucused with the party in the Senate but delivered the keynote address of the 2004 Republican convention where he attacked Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), his own party’s presidential nominee.
Use of “DINO” in a sentence:
The Austin Chronicle (January 24, 2014): “The low-key Democratic primary for U.S. Senate became discordant this week, with one candidate calling another a DINO – Democrat in Name Only – and saying she has the campaign finance reports to prove it.”
Townhall (April 11, 2018): “He's a DINO – i.e., a Democrat-in-Name-Only.”
Nebraska Examiner (July 29, 2026): “Nebraska Democratic Party leaders called William Forbes a DINO – a Democrat in name only – while vowing to fight his lawsuit aiming to force them to find a replacement for former Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Cindy Burbank after she dropped out of the race.”