( CNN ) -- The rest of the world is probably asking what 's in the drinking water here in New York , where ex-Gov . Eliot Spitzer , who resigned in 2008 when his hiring of hookers came to light , surprised everybody by announcing a bid for city comptroller . Spitzer , dubbed the Love Guv by the city 's tabloids , leaps back into the political arena less than two months after former Rep. Anthony Weiner ( who 'd resigned after texting obscene photos to strangers ) announced a run for mayor . Which raises the admittedly uncomfortable possibility that the city 's top two elected officials will be two nationally-known , high-profile married politicians with less than honorable sex-related behavior on their resumes . But that 's as far as the similarities go . Spitzer and Weiner have very different histories , committed fundamentally different offenses and will face dramatically different odds in the few weeks left before voters head to the polls in the all-important Sept. 10 Democratic primary . Has the road to political redemption gotten shorter ? Start with the crimes . Weiner , whose scandalously bawdy texts and photos never involved actually physically meeting up with a woman , spent a week lying about the incidents on any number of local and national television outlets , claiming that his House of Representatives account had been hacked . That , in turn , led to calls for an FBI inquiry , after which Weiner 's tower of lies collapsed . Spitzer , by contrast , simply admitted that he 'd hired hookers , apologized for his misbehavior and quit . He now campaigns without the baggage , which Weiner still carries , of having lied to the public and press repeatedly . When it comes to the record each man brings to the campaign trail , it 's not even a close call . In more than eight years as state attorney general and 14 months as governor , Spitzer compiled a string of high-profile wins in battles with Wall Street and prosecutions on behalf of low-paid workers . He also implemented a historic increase of state funding to local school districts and appointed the state 's first Latina secretary of state . Spitzer seeks return to politics -- as NYC comptroller . Weiner 's tenure in Congress was notably skimpy on tangible wins . A recent New York Times story noted that , over a 12-year career , Weiner wrote exactly one bill that got enacted . He was a visible , effective voice on key issues , but not the kind of politician who immersed himself in the machinery of government or coalition-building . But the biggest distinction between the two men , and the most politically relevant , involves their respective paths to victory . Weiner , running in a crowded 6-candidate race , is leading in the polls and , under New York rules , could get into a Democratic runoff pitting him against one of his rivals . He is currently grinding his way through a seemingly endless series of public forums and debates . By Spitzer leaps into an all-but-empty race for comptroller that had been largely conceded to Scott Stringer , a longtime political insider who 'd spent two decades in the legislature and eight in the relatively powerless position of borough president of Manhattan . Spitzer , who is funding his campaign using his family 's personal fortune , hopes to use his money , celebrity and impressive record to blow past his opponent to victory . Polls suggest that about 40 % of New Yorkers think Weiner 's offenses disqualify him from office altogether ; a comparable number may think the same of Spitzer . That leaves plenty of room for our city 's famously tolerant population to decide if they can , or should , elect a pair of soiled , but talented , politicians to run the nation 's largest city . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Errol Louis .
. Louis : Spitzer making new bid for NYC comptroller ; he joins Louis in arena . Both had sex scandals , but they end there . Spitzer fessed up in his scandal . But Weiner lied , he says . Louis has record of honesty . Louis not so much . Louis : Weiner in 6-candidate race . Spitzer faces 1 oppenent . Can you imagine ?