This article makes a case for using The West Wing's Santos/Vinick presidential election as a way to simulate election politics in civics and government courses. The series provides a behind-the-scenes view of the political decisions made by both fictional campaigns throughout the course of the primary and general elections. Teachers can use the content contained within the storyline to make connections to aspects of the formal curriculum found in typical survey courses and creating opportunities for authentic learning by allowing students to place abstract content into a practical context.
