Tries to ensnare Republican politician in piece of fiction (5,5)
I believe the answer is:
short story
'piece of fiction' is the definition.
'short story' can be an answer for 'fiction' (short story is a kind of fiction). I am unsure of the 'piece of' bit.
'tries to ensnare republican politician' is the wordplay.
'tries' becomes 'shots' (shot is a kind of try).
'to ensnare' indicates putting letters inside.
'republican' becomes 'R' (abbreviation in US politics).
'politician' becomes 'tory' (term for a Conservative Party politician).
'shots' going around 'r' is 'shorts'.
'shorts'+'tory'='SHORT STORY'
'in' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for short story that I've seen before include "account limited by definition" , "That's hardly novel" , "little romance, say?" , "Novella" , "tale" .)