9. Michael Balboni

Former state Sen. Michael Balboni has certainly raised some eyebrows this year. When Gov. Eliot Spitzer tapped Balboni for the newly created post, Balboni jumped at the chance, and in the process alienated himself from his GOP colleagues. The leap left his Senate seat open for Democrat Craig Johnson to win, and has made a shaky Senate majority more vulnerable for next year’s elections. But Balboni went with his heart. His position as chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs gave him the experience of being the voice of homeland security in the state, and Spitzer gave him the choice to reach for the brass ring. It was the culmination of a confusing time for the former senator, who flirted with running for both governor and attorney general. But now, he is watching all our backs.