dark horse

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dark horse

dark horse in U.S. politics, a person unexpectedly chosen by a major party as a candidate for public office, especially for the presidency. A presidential dark horse is usually chosen at a party national convention and often has acquired only a local or limited reputation at the time of his nomination. He is invariably the offspring of compromise after rival factions have deadlocked the convention. Probably the best-known example of a dark horse is James K. Polk, who was selected at the Democratic convention of 1844 on the ninth ballot, although he had not been nominated until the eighth ballot.

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dark horse

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | © The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009, originally published by Oxford University Press 2009. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

dark horse • n. 1. a person about whom little is known, esp. someone whose abilities and potential for success are concealed: [as adj.] a dark-horse candidate. 2. a competitor or candidate who has little chance of winning, or who wins against expectations.

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"dark horse." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 25 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Horses, dark and otherwise. (presidential candidates in 1988) Magazine article from: National Review; 1/31/1986
	Katz, Joy & Prufer, Kevin, eds. Dark horses; poets on overlooked poems.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review) Magazine article from: Kliatt; 5/1/2007
	Gray: We can be dark horses in play-off race. Newspaper article from: Northampton Chronicle and Echo (Northampton, England); 3/17/2008

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