politicking
Working the room
Politicking is engaging in political activity, especially campaigning for votes or maneuvering for advantage.
The word often carries a dismissive tone, suggesting that someone is focused on self-promotion or deal-making rather than substantive work: He spent more time politicking than governing.
It can apply beyond formal politics to any situation involving persuasion and alliance-building: There's always politicking before budget decisions.
Private space for dealings
- wheelingMoving things on rollers
- dealingConducting business transactions
- horse-tradingShrewd, tough negotiating
- machinationsCrafty scheming toward goals
scheming · jockeying · intrigue · tactics · finagling · angling · conniving · brokering
Gathers or recovers
- candidatesThose seeking selection
- electionsFormal choosing of officials
- votersThose who cast ballots
- speechesFormal spoken presentations
primaries · caucuses · ballots · stump · endorsements · constituents · grassroots · nominee
Power to enforce obedience
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- controlAuthority to direct
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
regime · statecraft · partisanship · ideology · factions · patronage · clout · leverage
Biased information for influence
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- distortionTwisting from original state
- misrepresentationFalse or misleading statement
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
chicanery · obfuscation · prevarication · dog whistling · fearmongering · smear campaigns · wedge issues · optics
Formally requesting action
- interest groupsOrganizations promoting shared agendas
- PACsCampaign contribution poolers
- super PACsUnlimited-donation political groups
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
bills · congressional · senatorial · testimony · hearings · regulations · stakeholders · amendments
backroom
Private space for dealings
- wheelingMoving things on rollers
- dealingConducting business transactions
- horse-tradingShrewd, tough negotiating
machinations · scheming · jockeying · intrigue · tactics · finagling · angling · conniving · brokering · logrolling
rallies
Gathers or recovers
- candidatesThose seeking selection
- electionsFormal choosing of officials
- votersThose who cast ballots
speeches · primaries · caucuses · ballots · stump · endorsements · constituents · grassroots · nominee · platforms
authority
Power to enforce obedience
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- controlAuthority to direct
administration · regime · statecraft · partisanship · ideology · factions · patronage · clout · leverage · boss
propaganda
Biased information for influence
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- distortionTwisting from original state
- misrepresentationFalse or misleading statement
disinformation · chicanery · obfuscation · prevarication · dog whistling · fearmongering · smear campaigns · wedge issues · optics · talking points
petitioning
Formally requesting action
- interest groupsOrganizations promoting shared agendas
- PACsCampaign contribution poolers
- super PACsUnlimited-donation political groups
legislation · bills · congressional · senatorial · testimony · hearings · regulations · stakeholders · amendments · earmarks
- campaigningcandidate, campaign signs, canvassing, campaign manager, fundraising
- office politicsbackstabbing, power plays, favoritism, nepotism, power grab
- power tacticspower play, power grab, strong-arm, strong-arming, strongarm
- negotiationbargaining, bargain, negotiate, mediation, compromise
- conformityconformity, conforming, conform, conformist, conformism
- persuasionpersuade, persuasion, persuasive, convince, convincing
politickinggoverning
Controlling with authority
administering · ruling · statesmanship · leading · executing
politickingstraight talk
Honest, direct communication
plain dealing · candor · forthrightness · sincerity · transparency
politickingpolitical apathy
Indifference to governance
disengagement · sitting out · abstaining · nonparticipation · withdrawal
police, policy, politics, political, politician, politic, polity, politically, metropolitan