On November 4, 1975, she was elected to the New York State Assembly, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Charles T. Hamilton.
She took her seat in the 181st New York State Legislature later that month during a special session, and remained in the Assembly until the end of 1976.
In September 1976, she challenged the incumbent Major Owens in the Democratic primary in the 17th State Senate District, but was defeated.
She resigned the post on March 31, 2001, and was appointed by Golden as a special assistant instead, because she planned to run later that year to succeed Golden as borough president and certain appointed public officials are barred from receiving campaign contributions under New York City election law.
[3] She died on February 13, 2007, of lung cancer,[4] and was buried at the Talbird Cemetery in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.