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US Republican Senator to Announce Possible Switchover
US Republican Senator James Jeffords said he will announce on Wednesday whether he will quit the Republican Party, a move that could deliver control of the Senate to the Democrats.
"I will be making an announcement tomorrow in Washington about what I'm doing," said the 67-year-old senator from Vermont on Tuesday.
President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney met with Jeffords earlier Tuesday to try and prevent the veteran Republican Senator from switching parties, officials said.
Jeffords, a committee chairman who frequently crosses party lines on high-profile issues, has had strained relations with the White House.
Jeffords angered the White House this spring when he refused to support Bush's budget with its 1.6 trillion dollars, 10-year tax cut.
His possible party switch would have profound implications for the Senate, currently divided 50-50 along party lines with Cheney having the tie-breaking vote.
If he became a Democrat, it would give Democrats control of the Senate as well as the chamber's committee chairmanships.
But if Jeffords became an independent, Republicans would remain in control of the Senate if he voted with them during organization of the chamber.
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