[4] In 2004, Hoffmann was challenged in a Republican State Senate primary in District 49 by Tom Dadey.
[5] Hoffmann's support for abortion rights was controversial, and she had drawn conservative criticism for her support of budget legislation that raised income taxes and sales taxes.
Republican committees in all four counties in Hoffmann's district withdrew their support from her.
[6] Hoffmann defeated Dadey in the Republican primary and then faced a general election battle with Oneida-based Democrat David J. Valesky and Dadey, who ran on the Conservative Party line and the Independence Party line.
[7][8] Dadey, who received 13,234 votes,[8] was blamed for Hoffmann's defeat by her supporters[7] and by other Republicans.