superdelegates
Convention power brokers
Superdelegates are Democratic Party officials—elected leaders, former presidents, and party officers—who attend the national convention as delegates but are not bound by primary or caucus results.
Unlike pledged delegates, superdelegates can vote for any candidate: The superdelegates could swing the nomination.
The term emerged in the 1980s when the party created this category to give establishment figures more influence over nominee selection.
Republicans have a smaller equivalent group.
Evidence of qualification or identity
- ballotingFormal vote-casting process
- floor voteLegislators voting together formally
- brokeredFacilitated an agreement
- contestedArgued against, disputed
nomination · pledged · unpledged · rules committee · threshold · majority · seating · bound
Political influence wielder
- powerbrokerWielder of political influence
- endorsementFormal expression of support
- cloutInformal power or punch
- leverageBorrowed capital for amplified returns
sway · decisive · tiebreaker · swing vote · lobbying · courted · wooed · pressure
State or provincial leaders
- senatorsUpper legislative body members
- representativesThose acting for others
- party chairsSeating for gatherings
- elected officialsLeaders chosen by vote
vice chairs · establishment · insiders · party elite · officeholders
credentials
Evidence of qualification or identity
- ballotingFormal vote-casting process
- floor voteLegislators voting together formally
- brokeredFacilitated an agreement
contested · nomination · pledged · unpledged · rules committee · threshold · majority · seating · bound · unbound
kingmaker
Political influence wielder
- powerbrokerWielder of political influence
- endorsementFormal expression of support
- cloutInformal power or punch
leverage · sway · decisive · tiebreaker · swing vote · lobbying · courted · wooed · pressure · persuasion
governors
State or provincial leaders
- senatorsUpper legislative body members
- representativesThose acting for others
- party chairsSeating for gatherings
elected officials · vice chairs · establishment · insiders · party elite · officeholders
- campaigningcandidate, campaign signs, canvassing, campaign manager, fundraising
- conventionsconvention, conventions, conference, attendee, nomination
- caucusprecinct, realignment, viability, uncommitted, second choice
- Democratic PoliticsDemocrat, DNC, donkey, blue state, blue wave
- Nominationsnomination, nominee, candidate, nomination process, nomination speech
- primariesprimary election, primary elections, primaries, open primaries, primary ballot