Tracker (politics)

[1][2] Trackers are employed by rival campaigns, particularly in important races, to follow opponents in the hope of catching them in a gaffe, an inconsistency, or an embarrassing moment, as a part of opposition research.

[3] The term first entered popular culture in the 2006 George Allen incident when a tracker recorded the incumbent Virginia senator using a racial slur, which contributed to his failure to win re-election.

[2] But trackers were being used in 2002 when Phil Press, one of the earliest ones, followed Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Ed Rendell and videotaped him falling asleep during an African-American Chamber of Commerce event.

[2] In 2017, a tracker hired by American Bridge 21st Century, trespassed to enter a private country club to record a speech given by state senator and gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner.

[5] NPR reported that in 2018, video or audio recordings had influenced six congressional and gubernatorial races in four U.S. states, as well as local contests.