With a dozen or more Empire State politicians imagining themselves being appointed to the Senate if Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) is, as expected, nominated to be Secretary of State, one of the possible appointees will be joined this evening by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at an event in Manhattan.

Pelosi and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D) are the featured attractions at a lecture and book signing on women in politics at Hunter College. Pelosi will be signing copies of her book, “Know Your Power: A Message to America’s Daughters,” and Maloney will be signing copies of her book, “Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated: Why Women’s Lives Aren’t Getting Any Easier — And How We Can Make Real Progress For Ourselves and Our Daughters.”

The event is co-sponsored by a dozen women’s organizations, many of which are pushing behind the scenes for Gov. David Paterson (D) to appoint a woman to replace Clinton in the Senate, assuming she is confirmed for the Foggy Bottom post.

Maloney is one of a handful of women mentioned as a possible appointee for the Senate vacancy, along with Reps. Kirsten Gillibrand (D), Nita Lowey (D) and Nydia Velázquez (D), and Leecia Eve, a former Senate counsel to Clinton.

Paterson has said he will give priority to women, Hispanics and Upstate residents when pondering a Senate selection, though white and African-American males from the New York City area appear to remain under consideration.

Asked late last week whether it’s important to choose a Senator from a part of the state that isn’t represented in other statewide offices, Paterson, according to Politickerny.com, replied, “Well, it’s very important, because the skill level can be the same among the individuals, but there is history and familiarity that people have who come from different parts of the state, or have unique backgrounds that we’d like to see in government.”

Paterson is not expected to announce his selection until Clinton is confirmed as secretary of State.