From T.R. to F.D.R., from Grover Cleveland to Mario Cuomo, New York gubernatorial campaigns have been as noisy and electrifying as any in the nation. And while this year’s race may have lacked some suspense, it never lacked for drama. Or energy.

The kickoff, the speeches, the bus tours, the strategy sessions, the debates, the press conferences, the conventions, the election, and everything between; “Making of a Governor” takes you into the adrenaline-fueled journey of the 2006 New York gubernatorial race.

From the Bronx to Buffalo, from the West Side to Watertown, photographers Marius Muresanu and Eric Goeres were given unprecedented access into the nerve center of the Spitzer campaign. They were back stage, on the buses, in the strategy rooms and smack in the middle of all the media events. They were there for the anxious moments and the triumphant ones, the quiet lapses and the grueling non-stop appearances. From this total immersion, they put lens to circumstance and have poignantly revealed the human drama underlying the campaign experience.

And while we have you on the campaign trail, Making of a Governor will give you some important glimpses into the rear view mirror of New York's strange and lively gubernatorial campaign history. You'll meet “Wild Bill” Donovan, The Incurable Optimist Howard J. Samuels, Al Smith, Nelson “Rocky” Rockefeller, and many others who sought the highest office in the state - the Communists, Progressives, Bull Moose, and Law Preservationists - even Grandpa Munster (for the Green Party) – who have made New York’s Gubernatorial race unlike any other. Jordan Wright, Director of the Museum of Democracy tells this part of the story, drawing on the Museum's incredible collection of political memorabilia.

So step inside. And take a walk through the fever-pitch excitement of New York past and present. Step into the pulse of a campaign and experience the Making of a Governor.

Press contact: Jessica Sagert or Tahra Millan

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