in 2006, paterson was selected by new york attorney general and democratic gubernatorial candidate eliot spitzer as his running mate. the news stunned the new york political world, as the democratic minority was poised to possibly take over the state legislature. paterson traded the possibility of becoming senate majority leader for the opportunity to hold the largely ceremonial lieutenant governor post. during their 2006 campaign, paterson resolved a dispute with spitzer over turf wars between staff members. the spitzer-paterson ticket won a landslide victory in the election, with 69% of the vote. it was the largest margin of victory in a gubernatorial race in new york history, and the second-largest for any statewide race in new york history.