Who gains, who loses?

The two-term governor's arrest has given the struggling state Republican Party a possible lifeline and simultaneously has provided a platform for many top Democrats. Yet some politicians are finding themselves on the wrong side of the scandal and they could suffer politically in the years to come.

Here is a look at who so far has gained and lost politically in the aftermath of Blagojevich's arrest.

Among those who have benefited:

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn

Quinn has had a rough relationship with Democratic Party leaders for years as he has crafted the rebellious image of a good government reformer.

With Blagojevich's arrest, Quinn is now swarmed by the media and insiders as he finds himself on the verge of taking over as the state's chief executive. That will give him a good platform to run for governor, but many strong challengers are expected.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan

Madigan has won praise as a two-term attorney general and now the Blagojevich scandal has dramatically increased her visibility with the public.

Even though the Illinois Supreme Court rejected her move to oust Blagojevich, her very public attempt painted Madigan as the chief opponent of Blagojevich in the hectic days following his arrest. She won media coverage on a national scale and appeared with Quinn on a popular national Sunday morning talk show.

Madigan has made no secret of her desire to potentially run for governor in 2010 and her name has been floated for Obama's old Senate seat.

Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes

While Democrats in general have chaffed at Blagojevich in recent years, Hynes has perhaps been the most publicly critical for the longest. He hasn't yet taken much advantage of the spotlight, but he will have an anti-Blagojevich record to run on down the road.

Illinois Republican Party

After years under the cloud of the indictment and conviction of former Gov. George Ryan, Republicans are finding themselves on the right side of this major scandal.

Moving forward, the GOP hope voters will give Republicans a second look in elections and they expect to hammer away at Blagojevich's ties to many top Democrats.

GOP Chairman Andy McKenna has already set up a Web site targeting House Speaker Michael Madigan, among others, and the party is running ads calling on lawmakers to approve a special election for the U.S. Senate seat.

Impeachment panel members

State Rep. Jim Durkin of Western Springs landed the plum spot as the GOP spokesman on the impeachment panel, which is sure to gain him weeks of attention as the long, fiery process plays out. Durkin lost a statewide bid against U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, but has kept an open mind to running for higher office in the near future.

State Rep. Jack Franks, a Marengo Democrat, has been one of the most outspoken critics of Blagojevich. The arrest and Franks' placement on the panel give him a platform to push his image as a reformer and increase his visibility.

Ties that bind:

Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth

Her ties to Blagojevich - he appointed her to the state post and held a party for her during the Democratic National Convention - are now threatening to become a tightening noose around her political aspirations.

To be clear, the current charges against Blagojevich have nothing to do with Duckworth, but that likely won't stop opponents from using their ties against her.

The Hoffman Estates resident lost a bid for Congress in 2006 to Peter Roskam and she has been open ever sense to a run for office. She was hoping Blagojevich would appoint her to the U.S. Senate seat before his arrest.

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

The Chicago Democrat was seen as the clear front-runner for the Senate seat and he was making his case across the state for his appointment. He also was once seen as a serious challenger to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.

Recently, the Jackson political dynasty helped elect his wife to the Chicago City Council.

But Blagojevich's arrest has raised questions about Jackson's role in trying to win his favor and the Senate appointment. The federal criminal complaint alleges Blagojevich said emissaries from Jackson offered $1.5 million in campaign cash for the appointment.

Federal investigators have made no allegations against Jackson and he denies any wrongdoing. Still, getting out from under the cloud will be daunting.

We the People

Illinois likely could go months without a second U.S Senator representing the state in Congress whether a special election is ordered or lawmakers wait for the next governor to make an appointment.

This means Illinois loses a critical vote on economic bailouts sure to come in the first few weeks under Barack Obama as president.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Springfield Democrat, is a strong voice in the Senate, but even he says it would be better to have two lawmakers lobbying for local projects and interests.

President-elect Barack Obama

The Chicago Democrat had enjoyed weeks of warm media coverage following his sweeping national victory. But questions about what kind of conversations his staff had with Blagojevich about his old Senate seat have peppered his news conferences for weeks. The scandal has become an unwanted distraction as he transitions into leading a nation fighting two wars and facing economic collapse.

Obama says he will release a full accounting of his staff's actions this week after being asked to hold off by federal prosecutors.

U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel

The current chief of staff to Obama has been dogged by questions about any conversations he had with Blagojevich or the governor's staff. News reports allege Emanuel is heard on government wiretaps, but no one is directly accusing him of wrongdoing. And it would be expected that Emanuel talked to the governor about the appointment. Emanuel has refused to answer questions.

Emanuel has cultivated respect and clout from many corners on Capitol Hill, which Obama plans to lean on to advance his agenda. Any erosion of his stature could undermine his effectiveness.