Opposition Research

Opposition research (often referred to as oppo) is:

  1. The term used to classify and describe efforts of supporters or paid consultants of a political candidate to legally investigate the biographical, legal or criminal, medical, educational, financial, public and private administrative and or voting records of the opposing candidate, as well as prior media coverage. The research is usually conducted in the time period between announcement of intent to run and the actual election; however political parties maintain long-term databases that can cover several decades. The practice is both a tactical maneuver and a cost-saving measure.
  2. Opposition research may also refer to illegal or unethical means of gathering potentially damaging information on candidates, such as accessing credit reports, wiretapping, theft of files, hacking computer files, and interviewing ex-spouses.
  3. "Vulnerability studies" occur in the 'prebuttal' phase of campaign development, when a candidate's political consultants will amass files of potentially damaging information on their own clients, to prepare pre-emptive strategies for rebuttal at a later date.
  4. Research conducted, at the request of an incumbent office-holder, often by the same staff who conducted campaign research, against political opponents or dissenters. The Hatch Act of 1939 prohibits the use of public office for partisan political advocacy, but often the same staff who once researched private information about opponents are placed in positions of proximity to confidential government files.
  5. Research on the activities of opponents conducted on behalf of advocacy groups, political action committees, churches, labor unions, management of corporations, or sports teams, as well as private individuals. Opposition researchers may work exclusively for one candidate or many, one group, or many groups that share ideologies and financial interests, or the highest bidder. Opposition research has also played a role in confirmation of nominees to the Supreme Court, and other presidential appointments.
  6. Demographic research into the habits, behavior, and histories of voters likely to cast ballots for opponents, as a tool for voter suppression.

Read more about Opposition Research:  Origins and History, Methods in The United States, In U.S. Presidential Elections, Opposition Research By The Executive Branch of The U.S. Government, Opposition Research and The U.S. Supreme Court, Opposition Research Conducted By U.S. States, In State Politics, Opposition Research Conducted in Other Countries, Opposition Research and Mass Media Ethics, Opposition Research and Public Opinion in The United States, Opposition Research and Political Infighting, Opposition Research and Wikipedia, Opposition Research and Activism, Quotes

Famous quotes containing the words opposition and/or research:

    “The opposition is indispensable. A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense.”
    —Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)

    “It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young.”
    —Konrad Lorenz (1903–1989)