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 …
Republican In Name Only — or RINO, for short — is a disparaging term that refers to a Republican candidate whose political views …
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 “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 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 …
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 …
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 …
“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 …
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 …
Fusion voting allows a candidate’s name to appear on multiple parties’ ballot lines, and to combine his or her votes from those lines.
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 …
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 …
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 …
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…
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 …
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 “Acela corridor” refers to the Northeast megalopolis that stretches roughly from Washington, D.C., through New York City, to Boston.
Named after Amtrak’s high-speed Acela …
The term “strange bedfellows” describes politicians with seemingly opposing ideologies or interests who form an alliance for a specific political objective.
“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 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 …
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 …
“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 “revolving door” refers to the practice where individuals move between roles in the public and private sectors, especially within industries that …
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 act of spreading negative rumors about a political candidate, in order to discredit him or her in the eyes of voters. This can also …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Straight ticket voting allows voters to choose every candidate on a single party’s slate by making just one ballot mark.
Over the years, many states …
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 …
An absentee ballot is a vote cast by someone who is unable to visit the official polling place on Election Day.
This type …
An exit poll is a survey of voters taken immediately as they leave the polling place in which they are asked which candidate they chose.…
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 …
The term “Democrat Party” is often employed by Republican critics as a slight against the Democratic Party.
The proper name is the Democratic Party, and …
A “recall election” allows voters to oust an elected official, by means of a direct vote,while that official is still in the middle …
The term “full Grassley” is a presidential campaign strategy where a candidate visits all 99 counties in the state of Iowa.
This strategy is named …
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 …