<P> George H.W. Bush Republican </P> <P> Bill Clinton Democratic </P> <P> The United States presidential election of 1992 was the 52nd quadrennial presidential election . It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1992 . Democratic Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas defeated incumbent Republican President George H.W. Bush, independent businessman Ross Perot of Texas, and a number of minor candidates . </P> <P> Bush had alienated many of the conservatives in his party by breaking his 1988 campaign pledge against raising taxes, but he fended off a primary challenge from conservative commentator Pat Buchanan . Bush's popularity after his success in the Gulf War dissuaded high - profile Democratic candidates like Mario Cuomo from entering the 1992 Democratic primaries . Clinton, a leader of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, established himself as the front - runner for the Democratic nomination by sweeping the Super Tuesday primaries . He defeated former & future Governor of California Jerry Brown, former Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas, and other candidates to win his party's nomination, and chose Senator Al Gore as his running mate . Billionaire Ross Perot launched an independent campaign, emphasizing his opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement and his plan to reduce the national debt . </P>

Who ran as a third party candidate in 1992