1996 Reform Party presidential primaries

1996 2000 →

Nominee Ross Perot Richard Lamm Home state Texas Colorado Running mate Pat Choate Ed Zschau States carried 47 3 +D.C. Popular vote 32,145 17,121 Percentage 65.3% 34.8%

Mail-In Presidential Primary results map.

This article is part of a series about Ross Perot
Personal Ross Perot Jr. Electronic Data Systems Perot Systems Presidential campaigns 1992 vice presidential candidate selection debates "giant sucking sound" election 1996 primaries vice presidential candidate selection Perot v. Federal Election Commission election
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TheReform Party of the United States of America (RPUSA) was founded in 1995 byRoss Perot. Because the party had just recently been formed, the traditional system ofpresidential primaries in use by theRepublican andDemocratic parties was not considered practical for the Reform Party to use for its presidential primary in 1996. Instead, a national primary was held through the mail in which Reform Party supporters voted for a number of candidates, while ballot efforts were concentrated entirely towards the general election.

• 
  Party FounderRoss Perot ofTexas
• 
  FormerGovernorRichard Lamm ofColorado
  (campaign)

In 1995, former presidential candidateRoss Perot's lobbying groupUnited We Stand America decided to become a political party. Thus, theReform Party of the United States of America was created.

During the 1996 presidential primaries, the Reform Party was seeking an alternative candidate to party founderRoss Perot, who stated he didn't plan on running for president again. Reform Party activist Mark Sturdevant urgedColorado GovernorRichard Lamm to seek the party's nomination. Initially hesitant, Lamm decided that if Ross Perot didn't run then he would enter the presidential race.^[1]

Lamm was assured Perot had no intention of running, and he entered the Reform Party's primaries on June 9, withEd Zschau as his running mate.

Lamm remained a registered member of theDemocratic Party, stating: "you can't become a member of the Reform Party in Colorado. There is no Reform Party in Colorado.... I can participate by staying a Democrat. I couldn't become a member of the Reform Party if I wanted to, but I am encouraging people to sign petitions so that they can get on the ballot here in Colorado. We've got to be on the ballot in all 50 states."^[2]

On March 19, Perot hinted that he may enter the Reform Party presidential primaries.^[3] Later that summer, Perot announced his presidential candidacy. Most Reform Party members supported Perot, and he was the overwhelming victor during the primaries.

Lamm addressed the Reform Party's 1996 National Convention, held inLong Beach, California. In his speech, he criticized PresidentBill Clinton, saying: "no nation has ever borrowed its way to greatness!" He also blastedPolitical Action Committees for running dishonest commercials, and stated he hoped the Reform Party would become a "truth telling, straight talking political party... run by ordinary citizens."^[4]

His speech received a standing ovation, and he congratulated Ross Perot on his primary victory.

• Reform Party of the United States of America presidential primaries
• 1996 United States presidential primaries

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