— — Primary Day is right around the corner and I thought it might be fun for all those other political junkies out there to make a whirlwind trip through the handful of hot races in Western New York.

We’ll start with the biggest, the Republican gubernatorial race between former Long Island Rep. Rick Lazio and Buffalo real estate developer Carl Paladino.

I’ve been tough on Paladino in the past for his statements about blacks, poor people and Muslims. But this isn’t about who’s right or wrong, it’s about politics!

Sadly, I think Carl’s ship is sunk. He deserves some kudos for taking a complete long shot and making himself at least part of the conversation. That’s due less to his skillful politics than his horribly weak opponent. Rick Lazio is, well, uninspiring.

And broke. I think I’ve got more money in my checking account than he does in his campaign account and I’m a journalist, so I’m far from rich.

Paladino will be flooding the state with money to try to get people to change their minds in the days before the election. Most Republicans at least know Lazio (mostly as the poor guy who got sent to the chopping bloc when Hillary Clinton came to town and scooped up our second Senate seat).

It won’t be enough. But wouldn’t it be fun to see a Paladino-Cuomo gubernatorial race?

I’m guessing there are more than a few national Republican strategists who cringe at the thought of the New York Republican gubernatorial candidate stealing national headlines by telling poor people they need to shower more.

Personal hygiene never makes for good politics.

I think Lazio will win, owing him a reprisal of his sacrificial lamb role in November, when he’ll be steamrolled by our attorney general. Sometimes wisdom is conventional for a reason.

Now, the state Senate.

As usual, Niagara County is a snoozer in this respect. George Maziarz is king, and will be for another term at least. His ironclad grip on the Niagara County GOP means he’s got all the money.

Antoine Thompson has a couple of challengers on the Democratic side of the 61st district, which stretches from Buffalo’s East Side all the way to Niagara Falls (including half of the City of Tonawanda).

Though I’ll never figure out why, Antoine looks to cruise to re-election despite the primary challenges from newcomer businessman Rory Allen and Al Coppola, who held this seat for about half an hour in the 1990s.

Rumor is, Coppola is actually running to help Antoine by siphoning votes from Allen. Both Thompson and Coppola have ties to Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown (Coppola works at the Brown-controlled Buffalo Employment and Training Center, which has sparked the rumor from Allen’s campaign.) Coppola denies it and says he’s in to win. He won’t.

Allen is the wildcard — or make that mildcard. He’s earned some points with the hipster crowd in the Elmwood Village for riding around in an electric golf cart. But that’s hardly going to be enough to overcome Antoine’s base of African-American support on the East Side and in the Falls, not to mention his name recognition.

If Thompson scores less than 50 percent of the vote in this three-way primary it would be a shocker.

Another Buffalo Democrat isn’t so lucky.

Bill Stachowski looks like the most vulnerable pol in these parts. He’s probably going to lose to Erie County Legislator Tim Kennedy, who’s run a relentless attack on Stack’s 29 years in Albany.

Since the Democrats have run the Senate for just the last two of those years it’s not an entirely fair charge, but one that seems to be working nonetheless. Mostly people are thinking about Stachowski as the guy who punted on UB 2020. Stack deserves credit as the only member of the local delegation to actually try to do something, rather than just talk about how great of an idea it is. Unfortunately, his month-long holdout during the budget fiasco ended with the former prep football star turning it over on downs. UB 2020 is toast, the school’s president is retiring and Stack is left to defend his decision to contribute to one of the latest budgets ever with nothing to show for it. Christmas in July for Kennedy.

Labor is split between Kennedy and Stachowski. Stack’s TV commercials look more like a tourism ad for the Big Apple than an attack on downstate interests. Also, he’s wasted at least 44 cents in the race: He sent me a campaign mailer. Too bad I don’t live in his district.

Winner gets to face off with Assemblyman Jack Quinn III, son of the affable moderate Republican congressman, in November. Should be a barn-burner!

Eric DuVall is the managing editor of the Tonawanda News. His column appears Wednesdays and Sundays. Contact him at eric.duvall@tonawanda-news.com.