The old adage in public relations, "I don't care what you say about me just spell my name right" is proving hopeful in the electoral comeback of disgraced former New York state governor Eliot Spitzer (D), now running for New York City comptroller and disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D), aspiring to be mayor of New York City.  Spitzer was forced to resign after the discovery of his numerous visits to high priced call girls; Weiner after denying and lying numerous times that he tweeted photos of his, uhm, boy parts along with suggestive messages to several women. 

But now, according to a Quinnipiac University poll, both men are polling ahead of their opponents in their respective races even among women. Take that feminists!

"Notoriety has earned the 'Tabloid Twins,' former Gov. Eliot Spitzer as Client 9 and former Congressman Anthony (Tweets) Weiner, good initial numbers in the polls," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Whether those numbers hold up in the real poll on Primary Election Day is the big question."

(snip)

According to the Quinnipiac poll, strong support among black voters is helping both Spitzer and Weiner. Spitzer leads Stringer 61%-26% among black voters. In the mayoral primary battle, Weiner has the backing of 31% of black voters, far ahead of Quinn at 16%, with Thompson, the only major black candidate in the mayoral field, at 14%.

As for gender, men back Spitzer 53%-33% while women support him by a smaller 44%-32% margin. Weiner tops Quinn 29%-21% among men but narrowly trails 23%-21% among women.

To the probable disadvantage of the other candidates, Weiner and Spitzer have dominated the news coverage of the mayoral and comptroller races, thanks to their scandals and their bids for political second chances.

"Is it better to be well-known mainly for a scandal than to be largely unknown?" asks Carroll.

Good question.

As President George W. Bush (R) once observed, "America is the land of the second chance - and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life." 

And hopefully to a better life for their constituents.