Some news and notes on the local and statewide political scene:

Albany Republicans continue to urge — and we mean really urge — Assemblyman Jack Quinn III to run this year for the seat now held by Sen. Bill Stachowski.

Quinn could run, and just might win. But the district has 60,000 more Dems than his Repubs, leaving a perpetual target on his back.

Then again, he could wait until the redistricting year of 2012 and run for any seat — especially one a little friendlier to the GOP.

Now a new scenario enters the picture, as Quinn could fool everybody and maybe run for Erie County Court in November.

“I’d be lying if I said it has never come up,” the assemblyman said last week. “But it shouldn’t be a surprise; I’ve always wanted to take the judicial route long term. As a lawyer, I would find it intellectually stimulating.”

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio’s campaign has become expert at regularly announcing support from yet another party organization around the state. But the e-mail that has yet to arrive is the one proclaiming that Erie County has climbed on board, too.

“Rick is a very qualified guy,” is all Erie County Republican Chairman Jim Domagalski will say. “But it’s only February and the convention is not until May. There is no rush.”

Speaking of the governor’s race, you can bet that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo will soon be a candidate when Erie County gets regular visits from potential Democratic successors. Former Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo has already made the rounds, followed a few days ago by Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice.

Rice met with Erie County Democratic Chairman Len Lenihan and some other top Dems, and figures to be a major contender.

Still to be heard from at this writing is Buffalo’s Denise O’Donnell, who remains mum for now by virtue

of the criminal justice position she held until Thursday in the Paterson administration. Now having resigned, she still counts $346,000 in the campaign account she established while unsuccessfully seeking the job in 2006.

Sources confirm that discussions are under way about the possibility of former Erie County Republican Chairman Victor Farley joining the Senate’s central staff in Albany. The veteran Albany hand recently left the Buffalo lobbying firm run by former Mayor Tony Masiello, former Deputy County Executive Carl Calabrese and former Tonawanda GOP Chairman Vic Martucci.

Congressman Brian Higgins invited about 350 of his closest friends to the Buffalo Chop House a few days ago for what was termed an extremely successful fundraiser. Campaign sources say Higgins will have close to $1 million in his re-election kitty by next month — and that’s a major reason why no Republican is even hinting about challenging the Democratic incumbent this year.

Ditto for Republican Chris Lee and Democrat Louise Slaughter. No opponents to the incumbent members of the House have yet to surface.

County Clerk Kathy Hochul picked up the early endorsement of Erie County Conservatives last week, allowing the Democrat to solidify her position for reelection this year and scare away any potential GOP opponent — of which there are yet none.

Democrat Jim Eagan continues to increase his standing in government and political circles after bursting onto the scene a couple of years ago. He was a major figure in Jim Keane’s 2007 campaign for county executive, has a fundraising role with Senate Dems, is an NFTA commissioner, ran Gov. David Paterson’s local re-election announcement last Sunday and last week was appointed the NFTA’s representative to the Peace Bridge Authority.