This is the 9458th most frequent Japanese word.
立候補者
Candidate.
Here, "立候補者" is used as a noun to refer to a person who has announced their candidacy for a specific election.
彼は市長選への立候補者です。
He is a candidate for the mayoral election.
In this sentence, "立候補者" denotes the collective individuals standing as candidates, influencing the dynamics of the election.
立候補者が増えたため、選挙がより競争的になりました。
Because the number of candidates increased, the election became more competitive.
"立候補者" is used here to describe those participating in debates as individuals vying for election or positions.