Jeffords' switch tips balance of power in Washington

Vermont Senator leaves GOP on Thursday, becomes an independent

Vermont Senator James Jeffords has traditionally voted his mind, not the party-line

May 24, 2001
Web posted at: 10:11 AM EDT (1411 GMT)

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BURLINGTON, Vermont (CNN) -- Washington's political landscape was turned upside-down Thursday, when longtime maverick senator James Jeffords announced his decision to quit the Republican Party and become an Independent.

The move swings the balance of power from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party in the evenly divided Senate -- which now consists of 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans and a lone Independent, in Jeffords.

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Following several days of intense discussions with his staff, Democrats and Republican leaders, including President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, Jeffords returned to his home state of Vermont Wednesday to make his decision.

"For the past several weeks I have been struggling with a very difficult issue," the 13-year senator said Thursday morning at a hotel ballroom in Burlington, Vermont. "Increasingly, I find myself in disagreement with my party."

"I will leave the Republican Party and will become an Independent," Jeffords said, prompting cheers from supporters in the room.

With key Republicans refusing for days to concede Jeffords' switch, the White House was left wincing by Thursday's move, which overshadowed approval in the House of the Bush-backed education bill and passage in the Senate of significant tax cuts.

"It just shows how we have much less influence in controlling the agenda than many people think," one White House official said.

The entire capitol is buzzing about the impact of Jeffords' switch. Experts say the move could affect issues such as education, the federal budget, the environment and the make-up of the U.S. Supreme Court.

More on the impact of Jeffords' switch

After serving as Vermont's sole member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 13 years, Jeffords became a U.S. Senator in 1988. Wildly popular back in his home state, voters resoundingly elected Jeffords, 67, to a third Senate term last fall.

Part of a small band of increasingly powerful Republican moderates -- mostly from New England -- Jeffords has reflected Vermont's traditionally liberal leanings on a handful of hot-button issues.

He openly criticized the 1994 "Contract with America," championed by Newt Gingrich and other GOP leaders, and in 1999 he was one of only five Senate Republicans to vote in 1999 against both articles of impeachment against then President Bill Clinton.

Jeffords has consistently supported an overhaul of the nation's campaign finance system, over the wishes of the GOP leadership, and butted heads with the Republican core on environmental, abortion rights and education issues.

Jeffords relationship with GOP leaders hit new lows in recent months, as many Republicans leaders saying he single-handedly sunk Bush's $1.6 trillion tax cut proposal.

"I think it's not oriented as well as it could be for those who need it, especially the low-income people needing health insurance and others who need funds just to live and I think it's a little too big," Jeffords told CNN in February.

On Thursday, Jeffords said he would not stand in the way of major tax cut -- resolving the House's $1.6 trillion and Senate's $1.35 trillion legislation, which Republicans hope to process in the next few days. Jeffords noted his switch will not take effect until after the final bill heads to Bush's desk.

A Jeffords' switch triggers a series of events that could derail Bush's attempts to push through his favored legislation and nominations to various posts.

The Republicans currently maintain a slim advantage in the House, but had been split 50-50 with Democrats in the Senate. As Vice President, Cheney held the tie-breaking vote, thus giving the GOP the de facto majority in both chambers. Jeffords' move gives Democrats the Senate majority for the first time since 1994.

Democratic sources said Jeffords has indicated if he becomes an independent, he will vote for Democratic Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota to be the Senate's majority leader, thus shifting party control. Replacing Trent Lott, Daschle would have the ability to bring bills to the floor.

"This is historic," said Sen. Joseph Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat. "It gives us the opportunity to set the agenda."

Republican sources said they are courting Democrat Zell Miller of Georgia to switch to their party. Miller, who often sides with Republicans on major issues, had been expected to release a statement soon after Jeffords on Wednesday, but the status of that is now unclear.

"You can imagine the pressure that's on him, the things that are being suggested to him," said Sen. Kent Conrad, a North Dakota Democrat.

Other Democrats, meanwhile, say a Jeffords' switch could inspire other moderate Republicans -- including those in the House of Representatives -- to do the same.

CNN's Kate Snow, Jonathan Karl, Judy Woodruff, Major Garrett, Dana Bash and Ian Christopher McCaleb contributed to this story

Moderate Republicans try to dissuade Jeffords
May 23, 2001
Senate OKs $1.35 trillion tax cut
May 23, 2001
GOP, Democrats react to expected Jeffords move
May 23, 2001
Jeffords' move significant for Supreme Court, education, taxes
May 23, 2001
Jeffords decision Wednesday could throw Senate to Democrats
May 22, 2001
Senate OKs budget plan, setting stage for tax cut
May 10, 2001

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