campaigner
One seeking office
A campaigner is someone who works actively for a cause or political candidate.
The word suggests sustained effort rather than casual support: She's been a campaigner for voting rights for decades.
Campaign workers during elections are campaigners, as are activists pushing for social change.
An old campaigner is someone with long experience in a field, originally military.
Public expression of disapproval
- demonstrationPublic display of opinion
- boycottOrganized economic protest
- petitionFormal written appeal
- sit-inProtest by remaining seated
picketing · civil disobedience · rally · march · grassroots · lobbying · advocacy · social justice
Favoring reform and innovation
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- visionaryImaginative planner of futures
- modernizerOne who updates systems
- crusaderZealous advocate for change
movement · transformation · overhaul · agenda · manifesto · cause · policy reform · legislative
Person seeking selection
- ballotVoting document
- canvassSeek opinions systematically
- stumpTrunk base after felling
- pollingSystematic opinion gathering
constituency · electorate · platform · primary · caucus · debate · referendum · incumbent
protest
Public expression of disapproval
- demonstrationPublic display of opinion
- boycottOrganized economic protest
- petitionFormal written appeal
sit-in · picketing · civil disobedience · rally · march · grassroots · lobbying · advocacy · social justice · human rights
progressive
Favoring reform and innovation
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- visionaryImaginative planner of futures
- modernizerOne who updates systems
crusader · movement · transformation · overhaul · agenda · manifesto · cause · policy reform · legislative · amendment
candidate
Person seeking selection
polling · constituency · electorate · platform · primary · caucus · debate · referendum · incumbent · nominee
champion
Top competitor, or advocate
- spokespersonAuthorized representative communicator
- lobbyistPaid legislative influencer
- supporterOne who backs another
proponent · defender · backer · promoter · endorser · persuader · voice · cause · lobbying · petition
veteran
Experienced former soldier
- soldierArmed forces member
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- deploymentOrganized distribution of resources
medal · regiment · tour · battlefield · service · warfare · decorated · enlisted · conscript · reservist
- helpersnurse, helper, volunteer, aide, assistant
- political careerspolitical scientist, policy analyst, political consultant, political strategist, lobbyist
- environmentalismecology, conservationism, recycling bins, environmentalism, conservationist
- activistsactivist, Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights activists, protester, demonstrator
- advocatesadvocate, activist, crusader, defender, lobbyist
- persuaderspersuader, orator, orators, public speaker, speechmaker
campaignerincumbent
Current position holder
officeholder · elected official · dropout · sitting member · appointee
campaignerbystander
One who observes nearby
spectator · onlooker · nonparticipant · abstainer · fence-sitter
campaigneropponent
One who contends against
opposition · adversary · antagonist · enemy · obstructionist
- grassroots campaignCitizen-led political effort
- negative campaigningAttacking opponents during elections
- smear campaignOrganized defamation effort
- ad campaignPlanned marketing offensive
- political campaignEffort to win election
- campaign trailRoute of electoral speechmaking
campaign, campaigns, campaigning, campaigned, campaigners, pre-campaign