I was watching “The West Wing” last night and saw a familiar name in the list of guest stars: Karis Campbell, with whom I went to high school in Japan. I played Mayor Shinn in our school’s production of “The Music Man,” and she played my wife, Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn. I hadn’t seen her in nearly 14 years, and it took me a while to recognize her last night, because she first appeared on screen wearing a hat. But later on I finally picked her out — she plays Ronna, an aide to presidential candidate Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits). Since he’s clearly the eventual Democratic nominee, I imagine she’ll have a recurring role. If he gets elected, maybe she’ll become a regular cast member.

I’m not sure what I think of Jimmy Smits playing the president. It will be hard for anyone to fill Martin Sheen’s shoes, but Smits doesn’t have the same wit or erudition that Sheen has as Jed Bartlett. Matt Santos is still a good guy, though. In fact, he’s as much an idealized candidate as Bartlett is — the integrity, the unfailing honesty, the desire to buck the system. But it will be a very different show. And I wonder which current cast members will still be around a year from now. (I hope C.J. stays.)