ROSS PEROT 1930 ENTREPRENEUR AND POLITICIAN PEROT ROSS 1930 POLITICAL PARTIES REFORM MOVEMENTS ELECTIONS AND POLITICS ROSS PEROT WAS BORN IN TEXARKANA TEXAS HE ATTENDED THE U.S NAVAL ACADEMY GRADUATED IN 1953 AND SERVED IN THE U.S NAVY FROM 1953 TO 1957 IN 1956 HE MARRIED MARGOT BIRMINGHAM AND THEY HAD FIVE CHILDREN AFTER LEAVING THE NAVY PEROT WORKED IN SALES AT IBM IN 1962 HIS WIFE LENT HIM THE MONEY TO START HIS OWN BUSINESS ELECTRONIC DATA SYSTEMS CORPORATION INC IN DALLAS PEROT SERVED AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMPANY AND ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE UNTIL 1984 WHEN HE SOLD THE COMPANY TO GENERAL MOTORS IN THE 1992 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN PEROT RAN AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE PAYING FOR HIS CAMPAIGN OUT OF HIS OWN PRIVATE RESOURCES HE DROPPED OUT OF THE RACE IN JULY 1996 BUT RE ENTERED THE RACE THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION BELIEVING THAT NEITHER OF THE MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATES HAD ADDRESSED THE NEED TO REDUCE THE FEDERAL DEFICIT PEROT'S MESSAGE PROVED TO BE POPULAR AND HE WON NEARLY 19 PERCENT OF THE VOTE IN 1996 HE MADE ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT THE PRESIDENCY BUT WAS DEFEATED ONCE MORE
