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running mate

running mate

59 4.7
A person chosen to run with another candidate, usually as vice-president
  • noun
  • /ˈrʌnɪŋ meɪt/
translation icon : compañero de fórmula
  • He has won this presidential race... ...along with his running mate, Senator Al Gore.
  • a vice-presidential running mate
  • a presidential running mate
  • choose a running mate

So, RK Junior, he has his running mate, but is she who his supporters wanted?

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Examples

  • Clinton and his running mate, Al Gore, identify themselves as Baptists.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Choosing Ryan as his running mate is actually the one thing that I respect about Romney.

    Blog text (3)
  • Where are we on this running mate thing?

  • -Have you decided on a running mate?

  • But we need a running mate.

  • Because I had the good sense to pick my big brother to be my running mate?

  • They want to talk to me about being his running mate.

  • Alongside him, Robert Kennedy junior says he has chosen his running mate and will announce his VP pick in the next two weeks.

  • Sources close to presidential candidate Bill Post tell us he's poised to select General Joseph Campbell as his running mate.

  • During the campaign, the candidate carefully selected a running mate who could complement his strengths.

Surface Forms

running mate singular
running mates plural

Morphology

run + mate

The noun 'running mate' is compositionally built from 'running' (from run = to compete for office) + 'mate' (partner), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it means the partner who runs together on the same ticket. This is a straightforward, non-metaphorical political collocation that B1 learners who know 'run' in the electoral sense and 'mate' as partner should be able to understand.

Etymology

Running mate comes from the image of two people running side by side, where one is the leader and the other is a mate, a partner who runs with them. That's why it now means the partner on the same election team, often the 'vice-president' candidate.