Perot, who ran for president in 1992 and 1996, is the only billionaire ever to shoot for the highest office in the land. (No, Donald Trump doesn’t count, as he never officially threw his hat in the ring.) He’s also the only independent candidate to make the list, and he managed to grab close to 20% of the popular vote in 1992, making him one of the most successful third-party candidates ever.
A tech billionaire before tech billionaires were cool, Perot made his fortune by starting Electronic Data Systems back in the 60s. And he put that money into running an unconventional campaign, buying up television time and regaling voters with charts and graphs outlining his economic philosophies.
Like the others on this list, he never made it to the Oval Office. Even so, perhaps Romney can look at Perot and take heart: While Perot didn’t win, he managed to grab support from middle-class Americans from all walks of political life despite having more money than most people could ever dream of. Having an incredible fortune may make it difficult to claim a real connection with the working man, but it’s not necessarily a deal-killer. (Main Street.)
