The 1990s saw the emergence of businessman Ross Perot as a presidential candidate. He ran as an independent in the 1992 and 1996 elections, becoming the most successful third-party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt in 1912. Perot was known for his populist rhetoric and his focus on issues such as the national debt and government reform. He received 18.9% of the popular vote in 1992, the highest percentage for a third-party candidate since 1912.