In the history of the United States, carpetbagger is a largely historical term used by Southerners to describe opportunistic Northerners who came to the Southern states after the American Civil War, who were perceived to be exploiting the local populace for their own financial, political, and/or social gain.

What does it mean to call someone a carpetbagger?

Today, carpetbagger remains in use, as a slur for someone who's an opportunistic outsider, such as a political candidate who runs for office in a place where he has no deep ties or hasn't lived in for a very long time.

What is an example of a carpetbagger?

A carpetbagger is a demeaning term for a politician who runs for office in an area they have no actual ties to. ... Example: Because the candidate had just moved to Minnesota, he was accused of being a carpetbagger and using Minnesota to get a political position.