goodduck

  The coattail effect is the tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election. For example, in the United States, the party of a victorious presidential candidate will often win many seats in Congress as well; these congressmen are voted into office “on the coattails” of the president.

  This theory is prevalent at all levels of government. A popular statewide candidate for governor or senator can attract support for down ballot races of their party as well. The term of voting a straight ticket can also be used. Following the 2004 elections, Republicans picked up seats in Congress and in other lower offices because of the coattails of George W. Bush.
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西瓜效應又稱衣尾效應(Coattail effect)，西瓜效應一詞源於閩南語俚語「西瓜偎大邊」，原意指的是牆頭草基於自身利益，靠向勢力強大或局勢較有利一方的情況。特別在接連舉辦的選舉，如美國民主黨與共和黨總統候選人各州初選中，假如有某幾位候選人被看好而獲得頭幾場初選時，則可以獲得大量的政治捐款，使得其優勢更加明顯最後即獲勝選。

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