bellwether state
Election outcome forecaster
A bellwether state is one whose election results reliably predict the national outcome.
The term comes from the bellwether—a sheep wearing a bell that leads the flock.
Ohio and Missouri were long considered bellwether states, though their predictive power has faded: As goes Ohio, so goes the nation.
Sign revealing status
- predictorOne who foretells events
- harbingerOne who foreshadows
- precursorSomething that comes first
- signalMessage-conveying cue
barometer · prognostic · foreshadowing · portent · litmus test · gauge · early returns · exit polls
Location of armed combat
- toss-upOutcome with equal chances
- contestedArgued against, disputed
- pivotalVitally important, deciding
- undecidedNot having chosen
marginal · swing voters · electorate · turnout · polls · primary · caucus · ballot
Level of quality accepted
- measureUnit of quantity
- yardstickThirty-six-inch ruler
- criterionStandard for judgment
- touchstoneStandard for evaluation
baseline · reference · model · paradigm · exemplar · archetype · prototype · representative
Controlling which issues dominate
- trendsetterOne who initiates styles
- pioneeringFirst to explore territory
- trailblazingBeing the first through
- precedentPrior authoritative example
leadership · spearhead · momentum · media attention · ad spending
indicator
Sign revealing status
signal · barometer · prognostic · foreshadowing · portent · litmus test · gauge · early returns · exit polls · forecast
battleground
Location of armed combat
- toss-upOutcome with equal chances
- contestedArgued against, disputed
- pivotalVitally important, deciding
undecided · marginal · swing voters · electorate · turnout · polls · primary · caucus · ballot · campaign
standard
Level of quality accepted
touchstone · baseline · reference · model · paradigm · exemplar · archetype · prototype · representative · microcosm
agenda-setting
Controlling which issues dominate
- trendsetterOne who initiates styles
- pioneeringFirst to explore territory
- trailblazingBeing the first through
precedent · leadership · spearhead · momentum · media attention · ad spending
bellwether stateone-party state
Sole legal ruling faction
solid state · red state · sure thing · blue state · foregone conclusion
bell, bells, belled, belling, wether, state, states, stated, stating