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coattail effect

The tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election. For example, the party of a victorious presidential candidate will often win many seats in Congress as well; these congressmen are voted into office “on the coattails” of the president.

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Nearby words

  1. coatrack,
  2. coatroom,
  3. coats disease,
  4. coatsworth,
  5. coattail,
  6. coattails,
  7. coatzacoalcos,
  8. coauthor,
  9. coax,
  10. coaxal
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.