 Perot largely financed his own campaign and relied on marketing and wide grassroots support . In certain polls , Perot led the three @-@ way race with Republican nominee George H. W. Bush , the incumbent President , and Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas , the Democratic nominee . He dropped out in July 1992 amid controversy , but re @-@ entered in October , participating in all three presidential debates . Despite an aggressive use of campaign infomercials on prime time network television , his polling numbers never fully recovered from his initial exit . On Election Day , Perot appeared on every state ballot as a result of the earlier draft efforts . He won several counties and finished in third place , receiving close to 18 @.@ 97 percent of the popular vote , the most won by a third @-@ party presidential candidate since Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 . 
