What is an establishment candidate?

Question

I keep reading that different candidates are establishment candidate and I can't find any webpage that will tell me what it means. Please help!

Answer 1

It tends to be another label for the frontrunners. They are the people who get the money and the endorsements from the key affiliate groups in the two parties. The implication in the title is that they are supported by the traditional "power brokers" in the party.

The opposite is insurgent candidates.

In most elections, one candidate will emerge from the first round of primaries with more money and endorsement than any other candidate. At the same time, one candidate with less money and support will surprisingly emerge as an alternative (e.g. John Edwards in 2004, Paul Tsongas in 1992, John McCain in 2000). The favored candidate is typically referred to as the "establishment candidate." The other candidate is called the "insurgent candidate." In the past 30 years, the establishment candidate has always won.

Answer 2

Secretservice is mostly right. I would say that an establishment candidate is also one who agrees with most or all of the views of their party and base.

Establishment candidates would include: Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney (the new Mitt, not the old one)

Non-establishment candidates: Ron Paul, Mike Gravel

Answer 3

The owners of this country.

Basically supported by the big figures in a national party, and therefore they have the advantage in a primary election, and are usually expected to win from the outset. They can get the big money, the strategists. Usually a complete whore to the party establishment.