David Paterson became the state's first black governor on March 17, 2008, when his former boss, Gov. Eliot Spitzer, was caught in a high-priced prostitution ring and resigned.

After being sworn in as governor, the legally blind Paterson declared his intention to not be known as an accidental executive: "Let me reintroduce myself," he said forcefully at a joint session of the Legislature, "I am David Paterson and I am the governor of New York!" Three months later, he made a strong statement of a different stripe: He raised more than $3 million for his campaign, a clear sign he liked being the big boss and would likely try to hold the job in 2010.

A year after taking the job, Paterson's approval rating was at 26 percent — lower than Spitzer's when he resigned — after a series of stumbles.

First elected to the state Senate in 1984, he won re-election to 10 straight terms, opposed every time and winning each easily with vote totals ranging from 68 percent to 90 percent.

With Spitzer, he was elected lieutenant governor in November 2006 with a record share of the vote, nearly 70 percent. It was his first run for statewide office.

(Last updated by Rik Stevens on March 23, 2009.)

Kristen Gillibrand was sworn in on January 27, 2009 as New York's junior U.S. senator.

Gov. David Paterson appointed the second-term congresswoman to the Senate seat January 23, 2009. She was named to the post after Caroline Kennedy, the presumed front-runner, withdrew from contention because of personal reasons.

Gillibrand filled the seat vacated when Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton became secretary of state. Her appointment lasts until 2010, when a special election will be held to fill the final two years of Clinton's term.

Gillibrand's 2006 campaign for the U.S. House was her first for public office and was tough by any standard.

Gillibrand won the election with 53 percent of the vote to Sweeney's 47 percent.

In 2008, Gillibrand won re-election to her House seat more easily against Republican Sandy Treadwell with 62 percent of the vote.

(Last updated by Kimberly Hefling on March 30, 2009.)

Chuck Schumer was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1998. Schumer won a four-way Senate primary that year against 1984 vice-presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro, Mark Green and Eric Ruano Melendez. Schumer garnered 51 percent of the vote. He went on to defeat three-term GOP incumbent Alfonse D'Amato with 55 percent of the vote.

He was re-elected in 2004 with 71 percent of the vote over Republican Howard Mills.

Prior to his Senate career, Schumer was elected to three terms in the New York Assembly, serving from 1975 to 1981. He was elected to the U.S. House in 1980, beating Republican Theodore Silverman with 78 percent of the vote. He was re-elected to four consecutive terms with at least 70 percent of the vote each time.

In 1990, Schumer defeated Republican Patrick Kinsella with 80 percent of the vote. He was re-elected in 1992 with 89 percent of the vote, defeating Independent candidate Alice Gaffney. He was re-elected in 1994 with 71 percent, defeating Republican James McCall. In 1996, he was re-elected with 74 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Michael Verga.

(Last updated by Kimberly Hefling on March 30, 2009.)