 After the election , Perot continued to work with " United We Stand " , and focused his efforts to defeat the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) . In 1993 , he was involved in a highly publicized debate with Vice President Al Gore on Larry King Live over NAFTA . Perot formed the Reform Party of the United States of America in 1995 , and ran for president under the party 's banner the following year . During the election , he failed to appear in the presidential debates , and finished in third place with about 8 % of the vote , behind Republican nominee Bob Dole and President Bill Clinton . The Reform Party 's candidate , former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura , was elected as Governor of Minnesota in 1998 , which was connected to Perot 's performance in the presidential elections . His focus on a balanced budget during his campaigns is speculated to have brought the issue to the forefront , enabling the surplus of the late 1990s . Perot declined to run in the 2000 presidential election , and endorsed eventual winner Republican Governor George W. Bush of Texas . In 2008 , he endorsed Republican Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts for the presidency , and stated " the situation in 1992 was not nearly as bad as it is now ... if ever there was a time when it was necessary to put our house in order , it is now . " The members of the populist Tea Party movement have been compared to Perot advocates , for their support of a balanced budget . 
