Okay, pundits are supposed to let the people decide and not say it’s over until the last poll closes – or “the fat lady sings.” Sure we don’t want an early call of a winner in New York to influence those still voting in California. So we choose our words carefully: “The presumptive winner.”

Let’s not kid ourselves; the New York State Gubernatorial election is over – “presumably.” Here we are with a Democratic Primary and a General Election ahead of us. Here we are in a State which has had a Republican Governor for the past 12 years and always has one of its three statewide officials from the “other” party. Here we are with a fifth of year still to go to Election Day and friends, it’s over.

Unless Eliot Spitzer is found in bed with the proverbial “underage little boy or dead little girl,” he is the next Governor of New York. He will be elected with a large enough margin in both the Primary and General Election that he will be trumpeted and welcomed like royalty. He will be respected; he will be feared.

He will ride a movement into office which will enable him to enact laws and make radical change. He will have a honeymoon like no other. Eliot Spitzer will ascend to the Governor’s Mansion with initial wide-ranging power and momentum.

In his previous position, Spitzer transformed an ordinary Attorney General’s office into one that captured national attention. He made change; he toppled idols; and he challenged and felled windmills. He was the Sherriff of Wall Street and the advocate for the people. He built a national rep on doing the right thing. He has ridden that rep deservingly all the way to his “presumptive landslide victory.” We approve of his performance and impending victory. He has championed many of the right causes for many of the right reasons. He has tackled the big ones and has achieved success.

Now comes the real job.

What will be Eliot’s priorities during his first days, weeks and months in office? It is during that time period that his big win and momentum will enable him to most easily topple the most mighty obstacles and right the most egregious wrongs.

Regular readers of this column know clearly where I would tell Spitzer to begin. For years I have been calling our State Legislature the 50th best – read worst – in the nation. Then a couple of years back, the Brennan Center of NYU Law proclaimed that after studying and surveying all of the State Legislatures, New York’s was the worst – 50th out of 50. No surprise to this writer or any student of government.

The almost dictatorial leaders, Democratic Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver of Manhattan and Republican Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno of Rennssalear reacted with some cosmetic changes, meaning nothing. The body continues to stand as a place where special interests, leadership control of perks, and a pathetic legacy of ineffectiveness preserve the status quo. Lack of campaign finance reform and control over redistricting of their own seats allows the same members to assure near-life terms and huge war chests as long as no one changes the rules. Surely the members who get fat on those rules are not going to rise up against leadership to demand reform. History has proven it.

Enter Tom Suozzi and his “Fix Albany” campaign. Tom is a bright, dynamic, charismatic, seemingly fearless politician. The Nassau County Exec is Spitzer’s opponent in the Democratic Primary. In any other time, in any other race, Tom Suozzi would not only be competitive, but a favorite of Democrats of good will. This time he faces Spitzer at his peak. Suozzi is not going to win but he has an agenda worthy of winning an election.

Over two years ago, Suozzi declared it was time to “Fix Albany” and ran and won with a candidate from his home Glen Cove challenging the incumbent Democrat from his own party. Suozzi has placed fixing Albany on top of his statewide agenda. He proposes campaign finance reform, nonpartisan redistricting and easing ballot access rules to provide competitive elections.

He has other priorities which are all worthwhile goals and can provide a game plan for reform of our State – a state with budget deficits and hidden debts buried in quasi public entities that will choke our children. He has targeted waste, fraud and abuse in NYS Medicaid – the largest such program in American and insists reform will reduce costs by 15 percent and deliver services faster and more cost effectively. Tom Suozzi’s priority is change, which all starts in Albany.

Tom or I could clearly lay out a plan for the “Governor in Waiting,” starting from the first-day visit to Shelly Silver to a list of reforms which the public, the press and good government groups would provide the added insurance of legislative enactment – if it were needed.

But Spitzer knows. He’s been around a long time. He’s been in Albany for almost eight years. He is bright and he is capable. Hopefully, he won’t let the bitterness of the campaign blur the contribution of Tom Suozzi.

Eliot, it’s still months away but this writer is counting on the next Governor of New York State to take office and on day one declare his first priority to “Fix Albany.” And then do it!

Good luck, Eliot.

Michael Schenkler can be reached via this contact form.