Political Insider: Will "Client 9" Affect The Presidential Race?

Might the apparent self-destruction of N.Y. Gov. Eliot Spitzer's political career have an impact on this unpredictable race for the White House?

Any effect will probably be minimal. The ascension of Lt. Gov. David Paterson as the state's first black governor, and currently the second in the nation (the third ever), might well fire up the imagination and enthusiasm of African American voters in the remaining primary states, providing a possible boost to Barack Obama.

But although Spitzer is supporting Hillary Clinton, he is not close enough to her to have a negative impact on her prospects.

And with two  Republican senators, David Vitter of Louisiana and Larry Craig of Idaho, recently embroiled in their own sex scandals the GOP can't exactly take the moral-values high road in attacking the Democrats.

"This will have no effect on the presidential race," says Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf. "Parties don't matter as much as individual candidates anymore. And if New York is in play, the Democrats will have no chance."