You’ve probably seen the name on a primary ballot and wondered, "Who is this guy?" Seriously. Most people scrolling through a long list of candidates in a voting booth see Rocky De La Fuente and assume he’s just another fringe dreamer with a printing press and a grudge. But that’s not the whole story. Not even close.
Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente Guerra isn’t just a perennial candidate. He’s a business tycoon. He’s a record-breaker. He is, quite frankly, a one-man political machine that operates on a level of persistence that would make most career politicians quit in a week.
He doesn't do this because he thinks he’s going to move into the White House tomorrow. He does it because he can, and because he’s mastered the art of the American legal system to keep his name in the conversation.
The Massive Business Empire Behind the Ballots
Before he was the guy trying to run for President and Senate in multiple states at the same time, Rocky was a car guy. A very successful car guy. We’re talking about a man who, at one point, owned 28 different automobile dealerships across the United States. That’s not a hobby; that’s a massive corporate footprint. He started with a single store in 1976 and basically didn't stop until he was a mogul.
But it wasn't just cars.
He moved into real estate, banking, and international business. He has properties in Mexico, the U.S., and South America. When you see him self-funding a campaign with millions of dollars, it isn't "found money." It’s the result of decades of aggressive, sometimes litigious, business expansion. He once won a $38.7 million settlement against the city of San Diego over a land use dispute. That tells you everything you need to know about his personality. He doesn't back down. He sues. He wins. He moves on to the next fight.
Why Rocky De La Fuente is the King of the Ballot Access Game
Getting on the ballot in the U.S. is a nightmare. Honestly, it's designed to keep people like him out. Each state has its own weird, bureaucratic rules about how many signatures you need and when you have to file. Most third-party candidates fail because they can't handle the paperwork.
Rocky treats it like a sport.
In 2016, he didn't just run for President. He created his own party—the American Delta Party. Then, in 2020, he pulled off something that sounds like a fever dream: he ran for President as both a Republican and under several third-party banners, while simultaneously running for several different seats.
- He’s appeared on ballots in more states than almost any other independent in history.
- He uses his personal wealth to hire signature-gathering firms that most candidates can't afford.
- He challenges "ballot access" laws in court constantly.
Some people call it a vanity project. Others see it as a legitimate protest against a two-party system that feels increasingly like a closed shop. If the Democrats and Republicans want to keep people off the ballot, Rocky is the guy who shows up with a legal team and a checkbook to prove they can't.
The 2020 Multi-State Strategy That Broke Brains
If you lived in California or Florida during the 2020 cycle, you might have seen his name more than once. This is where it gets weird. He actually ran for the U.S. Senate in several states at once. People asked, "Is that even legal?" The answer, mostly, is yes—as long as you meet the requirements of the individual states.
He wasn't expecting to win a seat in the Senate and the Presidency. He was testing the limits of the law. He’s basically a stress test for American democracy. He wants to see where the system breaks. It’s a fascinating, expensive, and deeply personal crusade.
His son, Ricardo "Rocky" De La Fuente Guerra II, even got in on the action. There were points where father and son were both on ballots, sometimes competing, sometimes just filling the space. It’s easy to dismiss this as a stunt, but it highlights a massive reality: if you have the money, the rules are different.
The Misconception About His "Losing" Streak
People love to point out that Rocky De La Fuente has never won a major election. "Why keep doing it?" they ask. But that’s looking at it through the wrong lens. For Rocky, winning isn't necessarily about getting the most votes on election night. It’s about the precedent.
He’s a businessman who understands branding. Every time his name appears on a ballot next to a household name, his brand—and his legal arguments—gain legitimacy. He’s fought cases all the way to the Supreme Court level regarding how candidates are allowed to interact with the voting process.
What You Can Learn From His Approach
- Persistence is a strategy. Most people quit after one failure. Rocky has "failed" hundreds of times if you only count vote totals. But he’s succeeded in becoming a permanent fixture in American political law.
- Infrastructure matters. He doesn't just "run." He builds parties. He hires experts. He treats a campaign like a corporate rollout.
- The system is more flexible than you think. Most of us assume the ballot is set in stone. Rocky proves that with enough pressure, the "stone" is actually just very hard clay.
What Actually Happens Next?
Don't expect him to go away. As long as he has the capital and the energy, Rocky De La Fuente will likely continue to be the name you see on the third or fourth line of your ballot. Whether he’s running as a Reform Party candidate, a Republican, or a member of the American Delta Party, the goal remains the same: disrupt the status quo.
If you’re looking to follow his path—not necessarily by running for office, but by challenging systems—start by studying election law in your specific state. Most people don't realize that local offices often go completely unopposed. You don't need Rocky's millions to challenge a local school board seat or a water district position.
The real lesson from Rocky isn't that you need to be a billionaire to participate. It's that the gatekeepers only have as much power as you're willing to give them. Read up on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings if you want to see the raw data of how these campaigns are funded. It’s all public record. Take a look at the "Sore Loser" laws in your state; these are the specific rules Rocky often fights against, which prevent candidates from running as independents after losing a primary. Understanding these hurdles is the first step toward actually jumping over them.
Check your local Secretary of State website. Look at the filing requirements for independent candidates. You’ll see exactly the "walls" that Rocky spends his life trying to kick down. Whether you like his politics or not, his blueprint for ballot access is the most comprehensive guide currently in existence for anyone who doesn't fit the standard political mold.