" Mike + the Mechanics (Genesis's Mike Rutherford's band) paid tribute to the movie with their song "Silent Running" A running mate is a person running for a subordinate position on a joint ticket during an election. The term is usually used in reference to a prospective vice president of the United States, who the prospective president appoints sometime during the course of the election campaign . The term is also applied in US states where the governor and lieutenant governor run together on the same ticket. In American presidential elections, the vice-presidential candidate is chosen by the presidential candidate. In some states, the gubernatorial candidate chooses his/her running mate while in other states parties hold separate ballots for governor and lieutenant governor. The two then run together as running mates in the general election. In some states, separate elections are held for governor and lieutenant governor. America Race Walking Athletes In this case, the governor and lieutenant governor run separate campaigns and can be from two different political parties. This was the case when George W. "