retail politics

noun (used with a singular or plural verb)

a political strategy or campaign style of meeting and speaking directly to as many voters as possible: New Hampshire is a state where retail politics are decisive. Not every candidate is good at retail politics.

Origin of retail politics

First recorded in 1900–05; in the sense of “politics in which votes are for sale”

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British Dictionary definitions for retail politics

retail politics

noun

(functioning as plural) informal the practice of a politician soliciting in person for votes from the public

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012