anner , ▁Per ot ▁won ▁ 8 . 4 % ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁vote ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁president ial ▁election ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁former ▁wrest ler ▁J esse ▁Vent ura ▁was ▁elected ▁Governor ▁of ▁Minnesota . ▁▁ ▁After ▁Vent ura ▁made ▁comments ▁in ▁Play boy ▁Magazine ▁that ▁off ended ▁some ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁party , ▁Ver ney ▁sent ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁Governor ▁Vent ura , ▁asking ▁for ▁his ▁res ignation ▁from ▁the ▁party ▁for ▁his ▁comments ▁" about ▁religion , ▁sexual ▁assault , ▁over weight ▁people , ▁dru gs , ▁prost itution , ▁women ' s ▁under gar ments ▁and ▁many ▁other ▁subjects ▁[ that ] ▁do ▁not ▁represent ▁the ▁values , ▁principles ▁or ▁eth ics ▁upon ▁which ▁this ▁party ▁was ▁built ." ▁In ▁the ▁letter , ▁he ▁ad mon ished ▁Vent ura ▁for ▁bringing ▁" sh ame ▁to ▁yourself ▁and ▁dis gra ce ▁to ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Reform ▁Party ." ▁Vent ura ▁had ▁no ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁request . ▁ ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁run ▁for ▁re - e lection ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁as ▁the ▁party ' s ▁chairman , ▁comment ing ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁time ▁for ▁someone ▁else ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁position . ▁To ▁his ▁ch agr in , ▁Jack ▁G arg an , ▁a ▁close ▁al ly ▁of ▁J esse ▁Vent ura , ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁position . ▁He ▁sp ar red ▁often ▁with ▁Ver ney , ▁whom ▁G arg an ▁and ▁Vent ura ▁felt ▁had ▁operated