running mate
Low frequency (highly specific to politics/partnerships)Formal to Neutral (primarily political/journalistic)
Definition
Meaning
A candidate for a secondary office (usually the vice-presidency) who runs for election alongside a candidate for the main office.
A person or thing that is closely associated with another in a joint effort, competition, or partnership. Can refer to a colleague in a campaign, a partner in a race, or a companion in a shared activity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is strongly anchored in the political domain (especially US presidential elections). Its extended use is metaphorical, drawing on the core political meaning to describe any close partner in a joint endeavour. It implies a subordinate or secondary role to a principal candidate/partner.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originated and is most frequently used in American English, specifically for vice-presidential candidates. In British English, the equivalent political term is 'deputy prime minister candidate' or simply 'running partner', though 'running mate' is understood and used in UK political journalism.
Connotations
In the US, it has strong institutional and electoral connotations. In the UK and other contexts, it may sound like an Americanism when used outside of direct reporting on US politics.
Frequency
Far more common in American English due to the structure of US elections. In British English, it is used but with lower frequency and often in contexts discussing US politics or metaphorically.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Candidate]'s running materun with [Person] as one's running matechoose/select/pick [Person] as a running mateVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the same ticket”
- “joined at the hip (campaign)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Could be used metaphorically for a close business partner in a joint venture: 'The CEO's running mate in the merger negotiations was the CFO.'
Academic
Primarily in political science, history, and American studies texts discussing electoral systems.
Everyday
Understood but rarely used in daily conversation outside of election seasons. May be used humorously or metaphorically: 'My running mate in the school bake sale was very organised.'
Technical
A standard term in political journalism and electoral analysis.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A for this noun phrase
American English
- N/A for this noun phrase
adverb
British English
- N/A for this noun phrase
American English
- N/A for this noun phrase
adjective
British English
- The running-mate selection process is crucial.
- They discussed running-mate criteria.
American English
- The running-mate announcement is scheduled for July.
- He faced running-mate speculation for weeks.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The president has a running mate.
- They are running mates.
- She chose an experienced senator as her running mate.
- The candidate and his running mate travelled to Ohio.
- Selecting a running mate is one of the most important decisions a presidential nominee makes.
- The running mate's primary role is to balance the ticket and attract undecided voters.
- His choice of a running mate was seen as a pragmatic move to consolidate the party's base rather than reach across the aisle.
- The running mate's gaffe during the debate inadvertently shifted media attention away from the principal candidate's policy speech.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine two athletes (mates) RUNNING a race together on the same team. One is the main runner, the other is their partner—the running mate.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICS IS A RACE / PARTNERSHIP IS A JOINT RACE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation to 'бегущий друг' or 'напарник по бегу'. This is a fixed political term.
- The closest equivalent is 'кандидат в вице-президенты' (for the US context) or 'напарник по предвыборной гонке'.
- The word 'mate' here does not imply friendship but partnership.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to refer to a friend you jog with (literal misinterpretation).
- Using it as a synonym for any colleague without the joint endeavour/electoral context.
- Misspelling as 'runing mate' or 'run mate'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'running mate' MOST accurately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, especially in US politics. However, it can be used metaphorically for the secondary candidate in any paired electoral contest (e.g., for deputy governor).
Yes, but this is a metaphorical extension. For example, in a project, you might call your closest collaborator your 'running mate'. This usage is informal and derives from the political term.
In modern US political history, yes, the presidential and vice-presidential candidates are always from the same party. The term inherently implies a shared ticket and purpose.
A running mate is a candidate for office (the second on the ticket). A campaign manager is an employee or advisor who runs the daily operations of the campaign but is not a candidate.