Samuel Norman 'Sam' Seaborn, Deputy Communications Director, is a fictional character played by Rob Lowe on the television serial drama The West Wing.

Sam left a job at prominent New York law firm Gage Whitney Page to become a speech writer for Josiah Bartlet during his campaign for the presidency. Sam joined the campaign on his friend Josh's recommendation after Josh went to see the Governor speak and discovered that he was "the real thing".

Sam's greatest strength and sometimes flaw is his unflinching idealism. His enduring faith in and love for the American political process are important aspects of his character. In a third season episode, President Bartlet told Sam that he would run for U.S. President later on in his career and that he should not be scared when he does so.

During the fourth season, Sam decides to run for Congress in his home district the California 47th in Orange County, California in a special election after the Democratic candidate who died of a heart attack narrowly won the election posthumously. It was never revealed definitively whether Sam won or lost the election, although he was losing by a wide margin in the heavily Republican district when he last appeared on the show. Since his departure, Sam has been mentioned a few times in passing.

Sam Seaborn attended Princeton University, although his undergraduate major is unclear. He makes repeated references to his alma mater, especially in the earlier seasons, indicating a certain pride in his attendance there. "Princeton" is his Secret Service codename, and he mentions being the secretary of the Princeton Gilbert & Sullivan Society.

Sam attended Duke Law School and after graduating worked at Dewey Ballantine in New York, and Gage Whitney Page.

See also

• The West Wing
• Characters on The West Wing
• List of The West Wing episodes