After coming out of a coma due to sepsis from being shot by a bb gun while prepping for Assassins, Payton seems to be on top of the world. That is, until he's cut out of his father's will and is forced to resign as class president due to his knowledge of Infinity's illness. This causes him to lose his place at Harvard and go to NYU, as they had accepted him purely on his merits rather than a bold bluff. During his three years at NYU, Payton has spent most of his time drinking and playing the piano at a bar, which is a far cry from the ruthless Payton that did everything in his power to win an election.
He also receives an invitation to his ex-girlfriend's wedding, and as a result, he drives to Boston to win her back. However, she rejects him and he's back to wallowing in self-pity. It isn't until McAfee (Laura Dreyfuss) and James (Theo Germaine) stage an intervention and set him on the path to run against Dede Standish (Judith Light) that he reverts to his old self.