John Hoynes serves as Vice President in the administration of President Josiah Jed Bartlet. A senator from Texas, he ran against Bartlet, but lost in the primary (perhaps because one of his top strategists, Josh Lyman, quit to join the competition's team). Bartlet eventually asked Hoynes to join his ticket in an attempt to gain the Southern vote. The two have a somewhat rocky relationship made workable by mutual respect.