 The 1998 primary defeat brought an end to Ferraro 's political career . The New York Times wrote at the time : " If Ms. Ferraro 's rise was meteoric , her political career 's denouement was protracted , often agonizing and , at first glance , baffling . " She still retained admirers , though . Anita Perez Ferguson , president of the National Women 's Political Caucus , noted that female New York political figures in the past had been reluctant to enter the state 's notoriously fierce primary races , and said : " This woman has probably been more of an opinion maker than most people sitting for six terms straight in the House of Representatives or Senate . Her attempts , and even her losses , have accomplished far beyond what others have accomplished by winning . " 
