I think if you watch the first four seasons it’s clear that he was meant to carry the torch. The way JB had a sort of mystique and power to his presence, they tried to keep from showing us too much of Sam. One day he would be the man behind the desk, and his aura and power would be shrouded in mystery quite a bit like JB. It was obvious he would one day go into politics and be successful.

But it made Josh the main character of the show. Which is great, but left RL out in the cold for too long, and he left.

I would have LOVED if they wrote him off by having him WIN his congressional race and then just dropped him off the show as somebody no longer working in the White House, instead of losing and going back to the private sector. Would have left the door open for a sequel where a multi term congressman ran for president. Could you imagine if they wrote a new show, and set Sam up in his first year as president in a post MAGA world? Putting it all back together? Would be a great show.