While most of the country is still reeling from the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal, the state of New York is ready to continue business as usual. David A. Paterson has been sworn in as governor of New York. Paterson is the first African-American governor in New York’s history, as well as the fourth African-American governor in U.S. history. Paterson is also the first legally blind governor of New York.

“I have a vision for New York,” Paterson said in his inauguration speech. “It’s a New York where achievement is developed only from hard work, where doors are always open and where anyone can achieve no matter where they live.”

Paterson has been active in New York politics for decades and was first elected to the New York State Senate in 1985.

In 2003, Paterson rose to the position of Senate Minority leader, the highest Democratic position in the state legislature. And in 2004, he was an obvious choice to be Eliot Spitzer’s running mate – the team won by a landslide.

Paterson is well known throughout New York and the national Democratic party as being a major advocate for progressive causes, and is generally believed to be more liberal than Spitzer.

He was arrested in 1999 for civil disobedience while protesting the shooting death of an unarmed African immigrant Amadou Diallo. Diallo was shot at 41 times by New York City police while reaching for his wallet, in a case of mistaken identity.

Paterson’s voting records in the State Senate show that he has been unequivocally pro-labor, receiving a score of 100 from the New York AFL-CIO, a major labor union confederation.

Patterson is also a supporter of gay rights, and some expect gay marriage legislation to move forward exponentially during his tenure as governor.

“David Paterson is a terrific, progressive guy — extremely LGBT-friendly,” said Ethan Geto, a Democratic strategist to The Nation.

Paterson is also believed to heal some of the wounds caused by Spitzer’s alleged brash and alienating way of governing.

“A lot of my family works for New York state,” said junior Joe Pelcher, whose family lives outside Albany, “and my impression is that Paterson gets along better with officials and it seems like the government will run more smoothly under his leadership.”

Considering the implosion surrounding infidelity and prostitution that destroyed Eliot Spitzer’s career, the day after his inauguration, Paterson held a press conference to discuss personal matters.

Paterson admitted that he has had several extramarital affairs, but has since reconciled with his wife.

“I do not feel I have broken my commitment to the citizens of New York state,” Paterson said at a news conference.

Many analysts and politicians in the state feel that the admission of past indiscretions will not affect the new governor’s tenure.

“The Albany press corps was in a feeding frenzy, looking for anything they could do to find it,” Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said to reporters. “And basically what David Paterson did was say, ‘Stop bothering people. Here’s the story. And that’s it.””

Paterson’s new position as the top state leader also boosts his profile into the national sphere, which is good news for Hilary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

Paterson is one of Clinton’s major supporters, which could conceivably give Clinton a boost in the upcoming primaries.

And while Paterson’s career in New York politics has been a storied one, he has entered into history and is giving the embattled state a new sign of hope.

Paterson said, “New Yorkers, in spite of the perceived problems inherent in our difference, we have an immense opportunity, if we start to look at who we are, what we are, and what we can be.