1930-

New Political Force.

Texas Background.

Taking Control.

Running for President.

Policy Proposals.

Election Results.

Perot and the Reform Party ran a distant third in both the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections, but that should not obscure the importance of the man and party. In 1992 Perot received about twenty million votes, which was 19 percent of those cast for president. Subsequent analyses suggested that his appeal was most strongly felt by those who either did not normally vote or who usually voted Republican. Although he did not win a single Electoral College vote, his totals in several key states may have allowed Bill Clinton to capture those states from President George Bush. In other words, it is likely that Clinton owes his 1992 victory to Perot voters who might otherwise have voted for Bush. In addition, Perot's showing indicated that many voters felt that they were not being represented...