Changes

Perot at first didn't announce he was challenged in running and instead called for other contenders to seek the 1996 Reform Party primary by nomination, but when former [[Colorado]] governor [[Richard Lamm]]actually did so, Perot opposed him. There was some bad blood during the primary process for the party's nomination when Lamm supporters claimed they didn't receive ballots. Perot won the primary and went on to win 8% of the popular vote in the 2006 Presidential vote, significantly less than his 1992 showing. Following the 1996 elections, a small group of Lamm supporters left to form the [[American Reform Party]], believing Perot had too much control over the Reform Party.

Former professional wrestler [[Jesse Ventura]] won an upset victory for governor of [[Minnesota]] in 1998 running on the Reform Party ticket, the only victory by the Reform Party in a major election. It was a boost to the party.

With the withdrawal of Ross Perot's leadership and financial support and Jesse Ventura's successful Minnesota chapter from the party, the Reform Party fell on hard times. Many of Buchanan's supporters also left the Reform Party immediately after the 2000 election to form the short-lived [[America First Party]]. By 2004 what was left of the Reform Party chose to endorse the independent campaign of [[Ralph Nader]] rather than nominate their own candidate. An additional split occurred in 2006 with two separate conventions each claiming to be the official Reform Party convention.