flopulist

English

Etymology

Blend of flop +‎ populist.

Noun

flopulist (plural flopulists)

1. (nonce word) An failed populist.
   • 1895 June 22, “Short Editorials”, in The Shawnee Independent:

     [A] flopulist […] has a wonderful itch for office but seldom gets there.

   • 1972 November 7, Spiro Agnew, (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎^[1]:

     Indeed, it might be said that Senator McGovern, who characterizes himself as a populist, has ended up as a flopulist!

   • 1994 July 3, Mickey Kraus, “TRB FROM WASHINGTON: FLOPULISTS”, in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

     [T]he [populists] […] are shown giving Clinton [dumb] advice.