WAYNE – Tension characterized that inevitable close quarters handshake between LD40 competitors Passaic County Clerk Kristin Corrado and Bergen County Republican Committee Chairman Paul DiGaetano.

The pair are vying in the GOP primary to replace retiring state Senator Kevin O’Toole in LD40, a Republican district, and it’s uncomfortable.

Tonight one of the them will get the Passaic line here at the Hamburg Highway headquarters of the Passaic County Republican Organization. Twenty-two executive committee members will vote in an adjoining room where Chairman John Traier sits and waits.

“Hi, Kristin,” said DiGaetano, flashing a friendly Bob DeNiro grin at his rival as he came up behind her.

“Hi,” said Corrado, icily taking the proffered hand.

As they mingled, DiGaetano told InsiderNJ he doesn’t know what’s going to happen tonight but he doesn’t suspect that he’ll get the line.

It won’t matter.

“Kristin Corrado ran off the line a few years back and won,’ he said, a point echoed by none other than Corrado, who said she plans to run in the primary whether she snags the line or not.

“I’ve run off the line before and won,” said the clerk, agreeing in a separate conversation with DiGaetano.