allegations of fraud. He receives a Congressional censure for covering up his MS while running for president. Bartlet began his political career when he was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives. He later served three terms in the United States House of Representatives, representing New Hampshire's 1st congressional district. Like his ancestor, he was a two-term Governor of New Hampshire and won re-election with 69% of the vote. A recurring motif throughout the series is Bartlet's inability to remember the names of junior staffers, a trait taken directly from Sheen's own memory tendencies. However, in the series finale episode, he meets and thanks a long series of White House staff members and addresses them all accurately by name. Bartlet also displays an obsession with trivia, often quizzing staffers, whether they are interested or not. Presidency Bartlet's best friend, Leo McGarry, persuades him to run for president around the fall of 1997, writing the slogan "Bartlet for America" on a cocktail napkin. Although initially a dark horse, Bartlet eventually defeats the Democratic frontrunner, U.S. Senator John Hoynes of Texas, whom Bartlet asks to join the ticket as his vice-presidential running mate. He defeats the Republican nominee for president, winning a close election with just 48 percent of the vote, 48 million popular votes, and a 303–235 margin in the Electoral College. He is sworn into his first term on January 20, 1999. Bartlet's accomplishments as president include appointing the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice and first female Chief Justice, negotiating a peace settlement between Israel and Palestine, creating millions of new jobs, providing strong support for alternative energy, and orchestrating a Social Security reform plan (although it is never made clear whether the plan is passed by the United States Congress, the show indicates that a revolutionary agreement is achieved with bi-partisan support). He does, however, express regret at his inability to balance the budget in his eight years in the White House. Bartlet does not shy away from using the military when he feels it is necessary during his eight years in the White House, and deals with major foreign policy crises in various parts of the world. The Middle East is a recurring source of problems, particularly Iran, Syria, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the fictional gulf state of Qumar. Bartlet is able to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by negotiating a historic agreement at Camp David in 2005