Herman Cain was an American businessman and politician who ran for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. He was the first African-American to seek the nomination of a major political party in the United States. Cain was known for his '9-9-9' tax plan, which proposed replacing the current tax code with a 9% flat tax on income, a 9% corporate tax, and a 9% national sales tax. He also advocated for a strong national defense and a balanced budget amendment. Cain ultimately dropped out of the race due to allegations of sexual misconduct.