crossing the aisle
Voting against party
Crossing the aisle means working with or voting alongside the opposing political party.
The phrase comes from legislative chambers where parties sit on opposite sides of a central aisle: She crossed the aisle to support the infrastructure bill.
It implies breaking from partisan loyalty, sometimes admiringly, sometimes as an accusation of disloyalty.
- partisanBiased toward one side
- bridge-buildingEstablishing connections between estranged parties
- olive branchSymbol of reconciliation
- moderationAvoidance of excess
- purple stateElectorally competitive region
centrism · unity · common ground · veto override · filibuster · middle ground · collaboration · working together · trust-building · swing vote · coalition · defection · reaching across · bipartisan bill · consensus · compromise · pragmatism · roll call vote
- bipartisanshipcommon ground, compromise, consensus, bipartisan bill, cosponsorship
- defectiondefection, defect, defector, turncoat, desertion
crossing the aisleparty loyalty
Commitment to one's faction
falling in line · party discipline · bloc voting · party unity · ideological purity
crossing the aisleideological purity
Uncompromising commitment to doctrine
dogmatism · extremism · purism · orthodoxy · intransigence
crossing the aislestonewalling
Deliberately refusing to respond
hyperpartisanship · political tribalism · obstructionism · partisan warfare · filibustering