What is Carter Effect?
1.
The period of time following an extremely unpopular president during which the opposing party maintains control of the presidency. The "Carter Effect" represents the collective institutionalized public animus and national fatigue evoked and often associated with an unpopular president which creates a bias and passion against voting for candidates from the same party.
The term is associated with Democratic President James Earl Carter who was very unpopular following his presidency. It took three presidential terms or 12 years before the negative feelings that a majority of Americans had for Carter's Presidency subsided to the point where the nation was once again willing to elect a Democratic president. Today a majority of Americans rate Carter's executive performance significantly higher then when he left office. (LS)
Presently the country is experiencing the "Bush Effect" a time in which feelings regarding the Bush Presidency have left significant numbers of Americans feeling upset with George W. Bush's Presidency and unwilling to support any Republican candidates.
"The Carter Effect" left it difficult for Democrats to regain control of the White House for 12 years.
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