unite behind one candidate

自民党の石原伸晃幹事長が記者会見し、党総裁選への出馬を正式に表明しました。

Nobuteru Ishihara, secretary general of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party, declared his candidacy on Tuesday for the party's presidential election, emerging as a leading contender to become Japan's prime minister should his party win a general election to be held within a year.

His declaration came after several days of wrangling in which Ishihara, the party's No. 2 man, tried to force his boss, incumbent LDP chief Sadakazu Tanigaki, to bow out of the Sept. 26 race.

（中略）

Tanigaki and Ishihara had met several times last week but had failed to unite behind one candidate. On Monday, Tanigaki said he will withdraw from the party presidential race.

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120911p2g00m0dm086000c.html

unite behind one candidateは英語的な言い回しです。unite behind ~は直訳では「一人の候補者の後ろで団結する」ですが、「〜」に one candidateを持ってきて、その背後でuniteすると考える発想は新鮮です。日本語では「候補者を一本化する」という訳になるでしょう。

この言い回し、実は日本の選挙に限らず英語圏の政治の世界では広く使われています。少し古い用例ですが、ひとつ挙げておきます。

Ann Romney calls on GOP to unite behind Mitt

http://news.yahoo.com/ann-romney-calls-gop-unite-behind-mitt-005400313.html