retail politics

American  

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. 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.

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retail politics British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of retail politics

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

Example Sentences

Given the specific qualities of the New York race and his uniquely ghastly opponent, it’s not clear how much Mamdani’s startling victory was driven by ideology and how much by his old-fashioned retail politics and his relentlessly upbeat and disciplined messaging.

From Salon

He's never been tested in a gruelling federal election campaign, with its relentless travel, high-pressure demands for retail politics and daily media scrutiny.

From BBC

His schedule underlines that he also needs to be a quick study in a new skill - retail politics.

From BBC

Dispiriting, because all of the disappointments and ugly compromises of retail politics are in full view.

From Los Angeles Times

The authorities barred him from running for president in the 2018 election and largely thwarted him from engaging in the Western-style democratic retail politics he wanted to see in Russia.

From New York Times