From a Wall Street Journal “Word on the Street” column by Ben Zimmer headlined “Why Kamala Harris Is Known as a ‘Running Mate'”:
Former Vice President Joe Biden made the long-awaited announcement of his running mate on Tuesday, after formally asking Sen. Kamala Harris via Zoom call to join him on the Democratic Party’s presidential ticket. With Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris now set to square off against President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, it’s a moment to consider our customary terminology for such partnerships. How did “running mate” become the default expression for a vice-presidential candidate?
Like so much else in the lingo of U.S. politics, the answer lies in horse racing. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, American political usage became flooded with analogies founded in horse races. To this day, we speak of candidates “running” for office in “races” without giving much thought to the original metaphor. “Dark horse,” “front runner,” “vetting,” and “upset” are just a few of the political terms that originated on the racetrack. . . .
While double-harness racing waned in popularity, “running mates” continued to be used for races in which a stable would enter more than one horse, with a slower horse used as a pacesetter for a faster one. From there, the term expanded metaphorically to mean a partner of some sort, joining for a common purpose.
By 1875, “running mate” was being used in American politics for a candidate running for a lesser office in the same election as someone at the top of the ticket. . . .
As in horse-racing, political “running mates” have often faded into obscurity. Reminiscing about the 1964 presidential race two years later, Vice President Hubert Humphrey said, “To this day I have a great deal of respect for Barry Goldwater and his running mate, what’s-his-name.”. . .
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