Battle for Reform Party¹s presidential nominati

Sunday, July 28, 1996

Many agree that Perot has lost appeal since ’92 campaignBy Adam
Hime

Summer Bruin Contributor

Four years ago, Ross Perot was getting ready to pack his bags
and move to the White House. It seemed America was ready for an
"outsider" as nationwide polls showed the Texas billionaire ahead
of major party candidates Bill Clinton and George Bush.

But by the 1992 November elections, Perot , despite attaining 19
percet of the popular vote, failed to receive even one vote in the
Electoral College. Since then, Perot has been busy working to build
a party in an attempt to position himself for another presidential
bid this fall.

Yet some campus leaders feel that Perot’s chances at the
presidency disappeared when he lost the election four years
ago.

"I don’t think people who vote for him expect him to win," said
Jason Steele, the Chairman of Bruin Republicans. "They may not want
to waste their vote again (this year)."

The Reform Party, created by Perot, will be nominating its
presidential candidate in two weeks.

Though Perot has spent millions of dollars to build the party
and assure its place on the ballot in 23 states, lifelong Democrat
and former Colorado Governor Richard Lamm will challenge Perot for
the Reform Party nomination.

There are 1.3 million Americans whom the Reform Party considers
members. If both Lamm and Perot garner support with at least 10
percent of the party during this week, they will be eligible to
compete for the party’s nomination.The convention, in which the
nominee for the party will be announced will be held in Valley
Forge, Penn., on Aug. 18.

In the week preceeding the Valley Forge convention, the party
members will cast their votes to decide whether to follow Perot or
Lamm. If party members choose Lamm, they will effectively vote
Perot out of the leadership role he has taken in the party he
created.

Given the fact that Perot founded the Reform Party, and has
built it himself, many view Lamm’s mission of toppling Perot as a
difficult one. When asked about this obstacle, the former governor
said, "I’m not at all sure that I don’t have a 50/ 50 chance (to
win the nomination)."

Lamm served as governor of Colorado for four terms, from
1975-1987. During this era, highlighted by the administrations of
Carter and Reagan, Lamm acquired the nickname "Governor Gloom"
because of his pessimistic outlook toward the future, and his moves
to cut government programs for the elderly.

Perot’s appeal for voters has dropped significantly in the past
four years. A national survey conducted in April indicated that 46
percent of the people who voted for Perot in 1992 would not support
him in 1996.

Perot and Lamm agree on critical issues within the Reform Party,
such as campaign finance reform. They criticize the major party
candidates because of the large amount of money they recieve from
special interest groups.

Both candidates also agree on the necessity to balance the
budget, and reform Medicare and Social Security, in order to make
the programs more cost effective .

Though Lamm hopes to capitalize on Perot’s current low approval
ratings, one UCLA student, who supported Perot in 1992, plans to
support President Clinton this year.

"I thought (Perot) was the best as far as the economy," said
fifth-year student Matthew Hicks, a Perot voter in 1992.

Though Lamm and Perot share views on the issues that bind the
Reform Party, they differ on their views of trade policy. Lamm, who
supports free trade, along with President Clinton and former
Senator Dole, differs from Perot who prefers protectionist trade
policies. Perot has opposed trade contracts such as the North
American Free Trade Aggreement (NAFTA). This is the program
instituted by President Clinton which allows free trade between
Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Conservative journalist Pat Buchanan, who finished second in the
race for the Republican Party presidential nomination, also opposes
free trade. Last Sunday, Buchanan warned that a Perot candidacy
would destroy the Republican party.

"The Perot candidacy, as opposed to Governor Lamm," Buchanan
explained , "is a mortal threat to the Republican Party in 1996,
because Ross Perot can win the Buchanan voters."

However, it is still not entirely clear whether the Reform party
candidate will take a larger block of voters from the Republicans
or the Democrats in the upcoming elections.

"I think he’ll end up taking more from the Republicans than the
Democrats," argued Mike Schneider, president of Bruin
Democrats.

"(The Reform Party has) become a very right wing party," said
Schneider, citing the stand Perot took against NAFTA in 1994.

Schneider also agrees with the Bruin Republican position that
Perot will likely garner less overall support than he did in 1992,
adding, "In the last four years a lot of people have realized that
he’s not exactly a strong candidate."

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With reports from Bruin wire services.