A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the Vice President running with a presidential candidate) but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were running mates in 1988".
The term is usually used in the United States, in reference to a prospective Vice President. In some states, candidates for lieutenant governor run on a ticket with gubernatorial candidates, and are also known as running mates.
Read more about Running Mate: In United States Politics
Famous quotes containing the words running mate, running and/or mate:
“Andrews: Do you mind if I ask a question frankly? Do you love my daughter?
Peter: Any guy that’d fall in love with your daughter ought to have his head examined.
Andrews: Now that’s an evasion.
Peter: She grabbed herself a perfect running mate. King Westley! The pill of the century. What she needs is a guy that’d take a sock at her once a day, whether it’s coming to her or not.”
—Robert Riskin (1897–1955)
“Even in harmonious families there is this double life: the group life, which is the one we can observe in our neighbour’s household, and, underneath, another—secret and passionate and intense—which is the real life that stamps the faces and gives character to the voices of our friends. Always in his mind each member of these social units is escaping, running away, trying to break the net which circumstances and his own affections have woven about him.”
—Willa Cather (1873–1947)
“O past! O happy life! O songs of joy!
In the air, in the woods, over fields,
Loved! loved! loved! loved! loved!
But my mate no more, no more with me!
We two together no more.”
—Walt Whitman (1819–1892)