retail politics
One-on-one campaigning
Retail politics is direct, personal campaigning—shaking hands, visiting diners, attending town halls, knocking on doors.
The term contrasts with wholesale politics conducted through mass media and advertising.
Retail politics matters most in early primary states where candidates can still reach voters individually: Iowa rewards retail politics; you can't just run TV ads.
- politickingSeeking support through persuasion
- canvassingSystematic direct voter outreach
- door knockingStriking an entrance repeatedly
- handshakingMutual greeting grip
- rope lineCord dividing public spaces
ground game · constituents · stumping · town hall meetings · meet and greet · grassroots · house parties · soapbox · persuasion techniques · community organizing · electioneering · personal anecdotes · voter turnout · swing voters · Iowa caucus · battleground states · stump speeches · petition drives
- political tacticscampaigning, gerrymandering, filibuster, campaigns, voter suppression
- caucusesIowa caucus, party caucus