Helen Santos (played by Teri Polo) is the fictional First Lady of the United States in the television drama The West Wing. She is the wife of Matt Santos played by Jimmy Smits. She became First Lady in the seventh season episode "Tomorrow," when her husband was inaugurated as President of the United States. She selected longtime Bartlet Administration staffer Donna Moss as her chief of staff.
Mrs. Santos chafed at times at the personal toll the campaign took on the family, and was noticeably uncomfortable with the security requirements of the Secret Service. The revelation that she sometimes wore thong underwear briefly embarrassed the Santos campaign. Helen Santos and her husband have two children, Peter and Miranda.
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