In the latest polls, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is still way ahead, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino is still a mystery to most voters and the phantom Working Families Party candidate is still eroding support for the governor's reelection bid. None of the three landed on this week's list, so check out who did and be sure to vote. 

WINNERS

Joe Bruno – After two long trials on corruption charges that surfaced way back in 2006, the former Senate majority leader was vindicated this week when the jury handed down a verdict of not guilty. Bruno’s second trial was dubious in the first place, as the prosecution skirted the line on double jeopardy by re-trying him on different charges with no new evidence after he was exonerated the first time around. At 85, Bruno has spent a good portion of his latter years fighting this legal battle, costing him $4 million in the process, so here’s hoping he can kick his feet up and finally enjoy retirement.

Ruben Diaz Jr. and Crystal Peoples-Stokes - So much for Gov. Andrew Cuomo surrounding himself with a bunch of middle-aged white dudes. This week the governor named Diaz, a Latino who serves as the Bronx borough president, and Peoples-Stokes, an African-American assemblywoman from Buffalo, as co-chairs of his reelection campaign (not to mention former Gov. David Paterson, who just took the reins of the state Democratic Party). Not only do the appointments make Cuomo’s team more racially diverse (and boost the profiles of the co-chairs), but they also follow a savvy upstate-downstate strategy—although the upstate part of that approach is where the governor actually needs any help.

Kathy Hochul - Last week it was Chris Moss, and this week it's Hochul whose stock skyrocketed as a lieutenant governor nominee. Hochul may not have been as off the radar as Moss--she served as a congresswoman for a year and a half before Rep. Chris Collins took her seat--but she brings to the Democrats a similar set of characteristics: She's an upstater--and a Western New Yorker at that--and she diversifies the ticket. She was not a surprise pick, as evidenced by the fact that voters in a recent City & State Reports poll said she was the most likely choice for Cuomo's running mate. But surprise or not, Cuomo undoubtedly hopes she can build on the economic development work outgoing Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy has done and bring in a few more votes, which he'll need if he wants to crush Rob Astorino with or without the Working Families Party line.

Charles Rangel – Rep. Charles Rangel’s 23rd campaign for Congress hasn't been too kind to him, but everything being relative, this week’s looking brighter than usual. A number of unions have defected to the side of his challenger, state Sen. Adriano Espaillat, but Rangel managed to retain the support of his longtime ally, the powerful 1199 SEIU. Then a New York Times/NY1/Siena College poll showed Rangel leading Espaillat 41 to 32 percent. It’s a modest advantage, to be sure, but it could also be the best news the aging congressman will hear this election cycle.

David Paterson - "So you thought you would be rid of me." Those were Paterson's words to the crowd at the Democratic Convention Wednesday, Andrew Cuomo having plucked him from relative radio-show host obscurity to chair the Democratic State Committee. Not bad for an ex-governor who has had a steady run of negative press in the past few years, including his fair share of tabloid headlines about his nights out with various women. That didn’t stop one female audience member from returning his opening remark with an “I love you, David!” I guess all is forgotten.

LOSERS

Tony Avella - Hindsight is 20/20. And that decision to join the Independent Democratic Conference might not look so good for the Queens state senator. This week the borough's party brass backed the popular, likely well-financed and absolutely indefatigable John Liu as Avella's challenger in the Democratic primary. Avella often refers to himself as a fighter, which some would call a blessing and curse some would say. Whatever the case, he is in for a fight now. 

Laurie Cumbo and Mark Levine – The two New York City Council members are the latest Advance Group clients to be accused of illegal campaign coordination, as the Campaign Finance Board leveled fines against them for accepting prohibited contributions from a fellow Advance client, NYCLASS. While Advance Group might be the real loser here—the CFB indicated further punishment would be forthcoming—Cumbo and Levine should have been more prudent in monitoring their campaign donations, and their progressive reputations take a hit by associating with Scott Levenson, president of the now radioactive Advance Group.

Dinesh D'Souza - The conservative author and filmmaker pleaded guilty this week to an illegal campaign contribution to Wendy Long, a candidate for U.S. Senate at the time. Now he is looking at more than a year in prison. It goes without saying that an illegal $20,000 donation was dumb. But, if you are going to skirt the rules and run the risk of spending time in prison, don't you think you'd pick a competitive race where the money would make a difference? 

Douglas Kellner and James Walsh - It seems that hardly anyone actually wants the pilot program for public financing of elections in New York State—not even the state entity tasked with administering it. The New York State Board of Elections reportedly asked the New York City Campaign Finance Board, which already runs the city’s public financing program, to oversee the disbursement of matching funds in the state comptroller’s race. But it turns out that the CFB isn’t allowed to take it over, leaving the state Board—including co-chairs Walsh and Kellner—in a pickle as they try to figure out how to run the new program.

Eric Stevenson - In January, the former assemblyman joined the not-so-exclusive club of former state politicians convicted of a crime--in this case, taking bribes in exchange for helping businessmen open an adult daycare center. Now he is among the ranks of disgraced lawmakers who will actually spend time in state prison. Stevenson was sentenced to three years in prison, a period in the middle of what prosecutors and defense attorneys asked for. After receiving one bribery payment, prosecutors said he put a down payment on a Jaguar. The only thing he'll be riding in for the next few years is a prison bus.