Disgraced former Gov. Eliot Spitzer launched a political comeback last night with a surprise announcement that he’s running for City comptroller — and one of his opponents is the madam who used to arrange his affairs with hookers.
“I hope people forgive me, and I hope they give me a second chance,’’ Spitzer, 54, told The Post, touting his experience as “attorney general and governor and assistant district attorney.”
“I want to do to the comptroller’s office what I did to the AG’s office: re-energize it, re-envision it, and hopefully, the public will give me that opportunity.
“I have acknowledged the wrongdoing and have moved on. I will ask the public for forgiveness.
Spitzer — who resigned as governor in 2008 after the feds caught him frequenting an exclusive prostitution ring — may have been encouraged to take on Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer in the Democratic primary for comptroller after seeing how well mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner is doing now, insiders said.
Weiner — who resigned from Congress in 2011 after tweeting photos of his privates to women — is now leading some polls.
“All you need is Vito Lopez running for public advocate and you call it the Perv Party,” sniped one City Hall source, referring to the former state assemblyman and current City Council candidate who was drummed out of office amid sexual-harassment claims.
A Democratic operative admitted, “I certainly think it will be an uphill battle for Mr. Spitzer.
“But with Anthony Weiner gaining traction in the mayoral race, it seems that the public is more open to forgiving candidates for their personal shortcomings.”
When asked whether Weiner was his inspiration, Spitzer told WNYC last night, “I don’t want to say those thoughts never run through one’s mind.”
Along the same lines Spitzer told CBS’ “This Morning” of his link to Weiner, “I think we all know, and we sense this when you speak to people, there is forgiveness in the public, whether that forgiveness will extend to any individual is always a separate and independent question, and I will have to make a case very different than any other person has made.”
Running on the Libertarian line for comptroller is Kristin Davis, the madam who arranged hookups for the married Spitzer — known as Client No. 9 in federal documents. Spitzer’s favorite former call girl was Ashley Dupre.
“BRING IT,’’ Davis tweeted of her new rival last night.
Davis spent several months in prison for running the prostitution ring. The feds said Spitzer didn’t spend any public money on his trysts, and declined to prosecute him for being a john.
The bid by Spitzer — who was known for keeping his black socks on during his sex romps — has been in the works for several months, said a source in his camp.
He’ll have to move fast — the deadline to collect the 3,750 signatures required to qualify for the primary is midnight Thursday.
Spitzer, the son of a wealthy real-estate mogul, will fund his own campaign and plans to spend a large sum to win, a source said.
But Stringer will bash Spitzer on his sordid past, insiders said.
It’s all fair game, “even the black socks,’’ one source said.
One person who may not be voting for Spitzer is his wife, Silda. The Post last month reported that the two have been living apart.
A woman answering Silda’s home phone last night declined to comment.
Spitzer last night insisted the two were still together — as he entered the town house where The Post reported he’s been staying with his parents since the split.
“My wife plays a role in everything I do,” he said.
CANDI-DATE: Five years after resigning as governor amid a lurid scandal involving high-end escort Ashley Dupre (above), Eliot Spitzer is beaming last night (below) after announcing his candidacy for city comptroller. (NY Post: Tamara Beckwith)
(William Miller)
Kristin Davis (Steven Hirsch)
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Additional reporting by David Seifman, Amanda Lozada and Kate Sheehy