Payton Hobart

**Payton Hobart** is one of the main characters in *The Politician*. He is portrayed by Ben Platt.

## Early Life

Payton was born into a poor family, but he was adopted by Georgina Hobart when he was a baby. In the Hobart family, he grew up very wealthy in the town of Santa Barbara, California.

## Personality

Payton is ambitious and passionate about his dream to become president. In order to achieve it, he plans to be honest and pursue it in a fair manner. However, he gets agitated when things don't come as expected. He is also detail-oriented and makes plans so that he would get it. Though he questions himself if he is a good person.

## Throughout the Series

### Season 1

Payton is a high school student, who attends Saint Sebastian High School in Santa Barbara. Payton has known since age seven that he's going to be the President of the United States. He religiously reads the biographies of presidents, in an attempt to learn about the steps they took to becoming president. He has decided that in order for himself to become the President, he must first become president of his high school class. Then, he must attend Harvard University.

Payton is a very good student, with a 4.3 GPA. He has a multitude of extracurricular activities- although they are mostly to get into Harvard, and less because of his innate passion for certain subjects. Payton's only passion seems to be politics. He is a very goal-oriented person with his eye on the prize.

Throughout the season, he was focused on the campaign. First, he faced River, and then after River's death he faced Astrid. Astrid backed out of the campaign before Payton could be announced winner so Payton won by default. Eventually, when news that Payton knew all along that Infinity did not have cancer broke out, Payton was asked to step down as class president and Harvard recinded his acceptance. His friends left him as did his girlfriend, Alice.

After his mother left, Payton ended up going to NYU (despite being admitted to Harvard). He spent three years in New York getting drunk at piano bars and stumbling home every night. Eventually, his friends intervened and convinced him to run for State Senate against Dede Standish. Payton accepts and has found a new passion again to drive his life forward.

### Season 2

In Season 2, Payton decides to run against Dede Standish for the New York State Senate. His old team comes back to work with him and they run a hard campaign- exposing some of Dede's secrets as well as fighting for their one main issue - the environment.

Payton is also dating Alice again. She makes it very clear that she wants to be his wife. Astrid is also working on Payton's team but she drifts to the competitors, which makes Alice decide that Astrid should be in a "throuple" with the two of them. They all have sex together on a regular basis.

Alice temporarily breaks up with Payton to go discover herself, along with Astrid, after both of them discover that they are pregnant. Payton lets them go and continues his campaign.

After a tie vote happens, Payton and Dede decide to settle who gets the seat with a game of Rock Paper Scissors. Although, one night in a gay bar, Dede sees Payton who expresses why he wants to be Senator and what he plans to do. He inspires her and Dede concedes her seat to Payton.

In a flashforward two years later, Payton has a 2 year old son, Alice is by his side again, and he wins by default the NY state senate seat.

Meanwhile, Dede was approached by Georgina Hobart to be her Vice Presidential running mate in the election. Dede agreed, and once it's determined that they are both going to win, Dede asks Payton to be her VP in the second term, after Georgina steps down. Payton agrees.

## Relationships

### Romantic

* River Barkley - River was Payton's Mandarin tutor but eventually developed to lovers, though it remains a secret that only Alice knows. They became friends but when Payton found out that River was running opposite him as Student President, he became angry. He killed himself in front of Payton when he confronted him about the presidency and confesses his love for him. Though, River acts as a conscience to Payton.
* Alice Charles - Alice is Payton's girlfriend and one of his biggest supporters since she wants to be Payton's wife and future First Lady. Though she remains loyal to Payton, she had an affair with James but he still loves her.
* Astrid Sloan - she is in a "throuple" with Alice and Payton for a short period of time in Season 2

### Family

* Georgina Hobart - Georgina and Payton have a close relationship. Payton is her adopted son, but she says that she loves him more than her other sons. He refers to her as his closest confidante. Though he loves her, he wants his mother to pursue what she wants.
* Keaton Hobart - Keaton is Payton's adoptive father. It is not stated whether he had indeed loved Payton as Georgina does but he soon realizes that when he was in a coma. Payton looks after him to which he acknowledged and is thankful for.
* Martin and Luther Hobart - They are his adoptive brothers. They bully Payton every time and mock him for not being part of the will.

### Rivals/Enemies

* Astrid Sloan - According to Payton, both of them are rivals ever since second grade after she insulted him with a gay slur. Their rivalry continues as Astrid takes River's place in the school election. In Season 2, Astrid and Payton become friends.
* Dusty Jackson - In the beginning, Dusty showed interest and became close with Payton. However, when he asked her about Infinity's condition, she became hysterical to him. When she learned that Infinity now knows that she doesn't have cancer, she plans to kill him with Ricardo's help.

### Friends

* Infinity Jackson - When Payton tried to pursue her as his running mate, she comments that she doesn't trust him and rejects his proposition twice. However, when Payton opened up and cried in front of her and Dusty, she accepts the proposition. But when Payton confronted her about the gay slur video, he removes her and tells her that Dusty is making her sick and that she doesn't have cancer. After Elections, the two became friends and became cast members of a school musical.
* McAfee Westbrook - His right-hand woman and one of his loyal supporters.
* James Sullivan - His right-hand man and one of his loyal supporters. Despite his affair with Alice was revealed, he remained loyal to him.

## Physical Appearance

Payton is a tall, good looking, brunette who wears preppy, clean-cut clothes. In general, he likes to keep a clean appearance. His hair is always well groomed, his clothes are rarely wrinkled, and he is not afraid to dress up if the occasion calls for it.

## Appearances

### Season 1

* Pilot
* The Harrington Commode
* October Surprise
* Gone Girl
* The Voter
* The Assassination of Payton Hobart
* The Assassination of Payton Hobart: Part 2
* Vienna

### Season 2

* New York State of Mind
* Conscious Unthroupling
* Cancel Culture
* Hail Mary
* The Voters
* What's in the Box?
* Election Day

## Quotes

> "*It's so hard to have to try so hard all the time.*"
> ― Payton[source]
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