<P> Smits played the role of Congressman Matt Santos of Houston, Texas, in the final two seasons of the NBC television drama The West Wing, joining fellow L.A. Law alumnus John Spencer . His character eventually ran for and won the U.S. presidency . </P> <P> In Dexter season 3, Smits played the role of Miguel Prado, an assistant district attorney who befriends the title character . Smits was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for the role . </P> <P> Additionally, Smits portrayed the character Alex Vega in the CBS TV series Cane, which aired from September 25, 2007, to December 18, 2007, and was subsequently cancelled by the network due to the 2007 Screen Writer's Guild strike . </P> <P> Smits joined the Sons of Anarchy cast in season 5 as Nero Padilla, a high - level pimp who refers to himself as a "companionator". He builds a relationship with Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Sagal) and forms an alliance and mentorship with Gemma's son, the central character Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam). </P>

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