- access
- activist
- bad influence
- ball of fire
- beaver
- behind-the-scenes operator
- big-time operator
- big wheel
- bustler
- busy bee
- court
- doer
- eager beaver
- eminence grise
- enthusiast
- finagler
- five-percenter
- friend at court
- gamesman
- go-getter
- good influence
- gray eminence
- heavyweight
- hidden hand
- human dynamo
- hustler
- influence
- influence peddler
- influencer
- ingroup
- key
- kingmaker
- live wire
- lobby
- lobbyist
- logroller
- lords of creation
- Machiavellian
- machinator
- manipulator
- man of action
- man of deeds
- man of influence
- militant
- new broom
- open sesame
- operator
- political activist
- pork-barrel politician
- powerhouse
- powers that be
- pressure group
- Rasputin
- sinister influence
- special-interest group
- special interests
- strategist
- Svengali
- take-charge guy
- the Establishment
- very important person
- VIP
- wheeler dealer
- winner
- wire-puller