a person who aspires to some public office.

In the Roman commonwealth, they were obliged to wear a white gown, during the two years of their soliciting for a place. This garment, according to Plutarch, they wore without any other cloaths, that the people might not suspect they concealed money for purchasing votes; and also, that they might the more easily show to the people, the scars of those wounds they had received in fighting for the defence of the commonwealth.