Author (Your Name)

John Daly, Colby College

Date of Award

1996

Document Type

Senior Scholars Paper (Open Access)

Department

Colby College. Government Dept.

Advisor(s)

Corrado, Anthony J., Jr.

Abstract

American politics has traditionally been dominated by major parties and their candidates. Third party and independent candidates have rarely played more than a peripheral role in elections, and when they have, it has only been a transient phenomenon. Ross Perot's independent candidacy in the 1992 election was different. Perot was a significant part of the 1992 election, he overcame a number of the traditional barriers facing nonrnajor party candidates, and he received the second highest percentage of the popular vote of any nonmajor party candidate this century. Perot's continued involvement in American politics following the election has made him unique among nonmajor parry candidates, as he has defied the pattern of nonmajor party candidates fading into obscurity after an election. Perot's continued involvement in American politics offers the potential for significant nonmajor party activity in the future. This paper examines the context and legacy of the 1992 Perot presidential campaign. The traditional barriers facing modem nonmajor party candidates and the historical context of Perot's 1992 campaign will be explored by looking at the candidacies of George Wallace in 1968 and John Anderson in 1980. The 1992 Perot campaign and Perot's post-election political activity will be discussed and evaluated in order to determine the potential legacies of the 1992 Perot campaign.

Keywords

Perot, H. Ross, 1930-, Presidents United States Election 1992

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