Senator Al D'Amato won re-election to a second term by a wide margin versus Democratic opponent Mark Green.

However, Ferraro chose to forgo a candidacy in December 1985 due to legal problems facing her and her husband.

[4] In the run-up to the Senate contest, former Representative Geraldine Ferraro was widely expected to run against D'Amato.

Despite her presence on the losing presidential ticket in 1984, her high public stature led commentators to believe she'd be a formidable Senate candidate.

She explained that she would not run due to an ongoing U.S. Justice Department probe on her and her husband's finances stemming from 1984 campaign revelations.