Dark horse

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A dark horse is a political term used to describe a little known political figure or thing that later becomes well known in a situation, especially in a competition involving multiple rivals.[1] It also describes a contestant that ideally should be unlikely to win but yet still might.[2]

Examples pertaining to United States politics include James K. Polk in the 1844 United States presidential election, Jimmy Carter in the 1976 United States presidential election, Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries, and Donald Trump in the 2016 United States presidential election.

References

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  1. "A dark horse". The Phrase Finder.
  2. "Dark horse". Merriam Webster.