Idiom
could not get elected dogcatcher
Meaning
Said of someone, particularly a politician, who is extremely unpopular.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“That politician is so unpopular he could not get elected dogcatcher.”
“Everyone dislikes the new manager; he could not get elected dogcatcher.”
“After the scandal ruined his reputation, the mayor realized he could not get elected dogcatcher in his own hometown.”
“The candidate's new tax plan was so hated by the public that his own campaign manager joked he could not get elected dogcatcher.”
“After he lied to his neighbors about the construction project, the man realized he could not get elected dogcatcher in his local community.”
“Despite his long history in the party, his recent failures were so public that even his closest allies admitted he could not get elected dogcatcher.”
Examples
simple
“That politician is so unpopular he could not get elected dogcatcher.”
“Everyone dislikes the new manager; he could not get elected dogcatcher.”
contextual
“After the scandal ruined his reputation, the mayor realized he could not get elected dogcatcher in his own hometown.”
“The candidate's new tax plan was so hated by the public that his own campaign manager joked he could not get elected dogcatcher.”
“After he lied to his neighbors about the construction project, the man realized he could not get elected dogcatcher in his local community.”
complex
“Despite his long history in the party, his recent failures were so public that even his closest allies admitted he could not get elected dogcatcher.”
Origin
The phrase utilizes hyperbole to designate a municipal role perceived as the lowest conceivable public office. As the position of dogcatcher is virtually never an elected post, the expression suggests a candidate so thoroughly unpopular that they would fail to secure even a non-existent mandate for a menial task.
Key words
Related idioms
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