Favorite Son
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 …
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 …
“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 …
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.…
“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 …
“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 term “bafflegab” is used to describe language or speech that is intentionally vague, misleading, or difficult to understand.
In politics, it is often used …
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 …
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 …
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 …
“Triangulation” is when a political candidate presents his or her views as being above and between the left and right sides of the …
“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 …
“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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
In politics, a “turkey farm” refers to a government agency or department that is staffed primarily with political appointments and other patronage hires.
In …
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 …
A “discharge petition” is a strategic, often controversial, legislative tool that serves to circumvent traditional committee review and bring a bill directly to …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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, …
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 …
“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 …
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 “scorched earth” approach is a ruthless attempt to win at all costs.
A “take no prisoners” approach is a rough synonym; both terms imply …
“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 …
“Netroots” is grassroots political activism organized through blogs and other online social media.
Netroots activism emerged as a powerful force in U.S. politics during the …
The use of a “killer amendment” — sometimes called a “poison poll amendment” or “wrecking amendment” — is a legislative strategy of using an amendment …
“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 …
The “well” refers to the area at the front of the chamber where the Speaker of the House of Representatives and other leaders of the …
A “straw donor” is an individual who illegally uses another person’s money to make a political contribution in their own name.
This practice is considered …
“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 …
Franking privileges allow lawmakers to send mail to constituents without having to pay postage.
A copy of the member’s signature replaces the stamp …
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, …
A “sacred cow” is any program, policy, or person that is regarded as being beyond attack or untouchable.
The term references the status held by …
A “push poll” is a form of interactive marketing in which political operatives try to sway voters to believe in certain policies or candidates under …
A photo-op is short for a “photo opportunity,” an event specifically staged for television news cameras or photographers to increase a politician’s exposure.
A photo-op …
The “Cuff Links Gang” refers to the group of friends who helped Franklin D. Roosevelt run for Vice President in 1920 “and to whom he …
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 …
The term “ballyhoo” refers to a type of political propaganda that is designed to create a public spectacle or spectacle and attract attention to a …
A “czar” is an unofficial title used to refer to high-ranking executive branch appointments.
Czars are usually given responsibility for a specific policy area and …
Talking points refer to the carefully crafted messages, statements, or ideas that politicians, political parties, or interest groups use to convey their opinions, policy positions, …
The “Green Lantern Theory” is how political scientists describe the belief that presidents could do more if they just tried a bit harder.
The term …
A Boll weevil Democrat was a conservative southern Democrat in the mid 1900s, largely known for his opposition to civil rights.
They used …
“Cutting turf” is plotting canvassing routes for campaign workers to knock on doors.
The term refers to the process of breaking up a …
“Political suicide” is an unpopular action that is likely to cause significant harm to their reputation, electoral success, or power within their organization.
These actions …
“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 “…
The “Election Administrator’s Prayer” is a phrase that is used to refer to the challenges and responsibilities faced by those who are responsible for administering …
The term “bagman” is used to describe a person who acts as an intermediary or messenger, delivering or collecting money or other valuable items on …
“Gobbledygook” is a term coined by Rep. Maury Maverick (D-TX) for obscure and euphemistic bureaucratic language.
He first used the word in a …
The “full Ginsburg” refers to an appearance by one person on all five major Sunday-morning interview shows on the same day:
The “incumbent rule” is a rule of thumb used by pollsters that says incumbents rarely get a higher percentage in the election than they receive …
Republican In Name Only — or RINO, for short — is a disparaging term that refers to a Republican candidate whose political views …
A “carpetbagger” is a politician who runs for office or tries to appeal to a constituency in a geographic area where he or …
An exploratory committee is a preliminary organizational structure that potential candidates establish to assess the viability of their candidacy before officially entering the presidential race.…
A “situation room” is a physical room in which key decision makers gather to share information and make plans about the major issues affecting their …
A “fusion ticket” is a strategy where two or more political parties endorse the same candidate for an elected office.
It’s sometimes referred …
Someone who is “out of the loop” is uniformed or not given access to shared information, especially to information which is shared informally and on …
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 …
The Blue Dog Democrats are a coalition of moderate House Democrats.
The group is dedicated to fiscally conservative legislation and a strong national defense. They …
The term “teabaggers” is a derogatory nickname used to refer to supporters of the conservative “Tea Party” movement.
As CBS News notes:
…It’s the sort
“Advice and Consent” is a critical phrase in the United States Constitution that outlines a key aspect of the checks and balances among the three …
A pocket veto is a legislative tactic that allows the president to indirectly veto a bill.
The U.S. Constitution requires the President to sign a …
The term “inside baseball” refers to any subject matter which is considered too highly specialized to be appreciated by the general public.
In …
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 …
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress.
It is a comprehensive and authoritative reference source …
The “candy desk” is where a supply of candy is kept in the U.S. Senate.
Sen. George Murphy (R-CA) originated the practice of keeping a …
The mark-up is the committee meeting held to review the text of a bill before reporting it to the floor.
The mark-up process plays a …
Leader time is the ten minute time allotted to Senate leaders at the start of the daily session.
It refers to a period set aside…
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 …
The term “vote-a-rama” is used to refer to a marathon session of voting in the United States Senate.
This typically occurs during the consideration of …
Shivercrats were a conservative faction of the Texas Democratic Party in the 1950s named for Texas Gov. Allan Shivers (D).
The term was first used …
A “gaffe” is an unintentional comment that causes a politician embarrassment.
The term is often used to describe a inartful comment or a misstatement that
Fusion voting allows a candidate’s name to appear on multiple parties’ ballot lines, and to combine his or her votes from those lines.
“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 …
The term “strange bedfellows” describes politicians with seemingly opposing ideologies or interests who form an alliance for a specific political objective.
“Merchants of death” is a reference to the bankers and arms manufacturers that supplied and funded World War I.
The phrase is also used to …
Hideaways are personal, unmarked offices in the Capitol originally assigned to senior senators. They are often conveniently located near the Senate floor.
The hideaway location …
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 …
The term “gutter politics” refers to the use of personal attacks, character assassination, and scandal-mongering as a tactic to discredit or malign opponents rather than …
The “Bradley effect” is a polling phenomenon involving high support for non-white and non-female candidates in opinion polls not reflected by election results.…
A supermajority refers to a requirement for a higher percentage of votes than a simple majority to approve a decision, measure, or action within a …
A Shermanesque statement is a clear and direct statement by a potential political candidate indicating that he or she will not run for …
A split ticket is when a voter chooses candidates from different political parties in the same election.
This practice reflects an individual’s willingness to evaluate …
The Committee of the Whole is a procedural device used to expedite debates in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives uses this …
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 …
A glad-hander is a highly extroverted person who makes a point of acting friendly in an over-the-top way.
However, in politics the term glad-hander connotes …
An “open primary” is an election that allows voters to select candidates on one party’s ballot without declaring their own party affiliation.
Open …
A blanket primary is a primary election whereby each voter can select one candidate per office regardless of party.
This primary is different from open …
The phrase “off the reservation” is used to describe someone who deviates from the expected or orthodox position, particularly within a political party or ideological …
The “power behind the throne” is said to be someone who does not hold an official leadership position but who effectively wields control.
The phrase …
A “stemwinder” is a rousing political speech that galvanizes a crowd to take action.
It’s a speech that is able to capture the attention and …
The term “revolving door” refers to the practice where individuals move between roles in the public and private sectors, especially within industries that …
A “Farley file” is a log kept by politicians on the people they have met previously.
It’s named for James A. Farley, who was …
A junket is a trip taken by a politicians with expenses paid for with public funds.
Junkets are a common practice in politics, and are …
A “Grand Bargain” refers to a broad, bipartisan agreement that aims to resolve complex and often contentious issues through significant concessions from both sides of …
A “straw man” refers to an intentionally misrepresented proposition or argument that is set up because it is easier to defeat than an opponent’s real …