| American businessman and philanthropist Ross Perot, born this day in 1930 in Texarkana, Texas, was an independent candidate for U.S. president in 1992 and 1996 who earned widespread popularity among voters dissatisfied with traditional party politics. Despite dropping from the 1992 race in July only to return in October, he won 19 percent of the popular vote in the November election. In 1995 he established the Reform Party. |