Definition

The moment when a politician asks voters to give them another term because surely this time they'll deliver on all those promises. It's democracy's sequel, where incumbents leverage name recognition and fundraising advantages while challengers cry 'time for change!' Success depends on whether constituents believe 'better the devil you know' or 'fool me once, shame on you.'

Example Usage

She spent her entire first term positioning herself for reelection rather than taking any controversial stands.

Source: Common political terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

trial balloon

A policy idea deliberately leaked to media to gauge public reaction before officially proposing it. If it crashes and burns, the official can claim it was never seriously considered; if it flies, they take credit.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Advanced

limited hangout

A strategic information leak where you confess to something juicy but relatively minor to distract people from the full scandal. Think of it as throwing investigators a bone so they stop digging for the entire skeleton. Popularized during Watergate, this tactic is the political equivalent of admitting you ate one cookie when you actually demolished the whole jar.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Advanced

rent-seeking

Using political influence to increase one's wealth without creating new value—manipulating regulations, seeking subsidies, or lobbying for favorable rules. It's capitalism's laziest form: rigging the game instead of playing it.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Intermediate

sunshine law

Legislation requiring government meetings and records to be open to public scrutiny, because apparently politicians need to be legally forced to do their jobs in daylight. A radical concept that government should actually be visible to the governed.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Beginner

Checks and Balances

The governmental version of rock-paper-scissors where Congress, the President, and the Courts all keep each other from going full supervillain. In theory it prevents tyranny; in practice it prevents anyone from doing much of anything.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Beginner

dark horse candidate

An unlikely or previously unknown candidate who unexpectedly gains traction in an election, emerging from obscurity like a mystery horse at the race track. The political version of a plot twist everyone should have seen coming but didn't.

🏛️ Government / Politics

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See “reelection” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

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pibling

A gender-neutral term for your parent's sibling, because "aunt or uncle" is so binary and verbose. It's the portmanteau ...