US Senator James Jeffords has postponed until tomorrow his widely anticipated announcement that he is leaving the Republican Party. He said he wants to be back home in Vermont when he makes the declaration that could change control of the Senate.
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Vermont Senator James Jeffords has said he will join the Democrats.
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"I wanted to be with my Vermonters when I made the decision," Mr Jeffords told reporters on Capitol Hill.
Only hours earlier Jeffords said he planned to make his announcement in Washington today. A Jeffords defection would hand Democrats control of the Senate and jeopardise President Bush's conservative agenda.
Mr Jeffords's aides said Mr Bush's decision not to invite him to a ceremony honouring a Vermont teacher after he refused to back the President's tax cut plan is prompting him to switch parties.
It was reported he has already met Mr Bush, Vice-President Dick Cheney and Democratic and Republican leaders to tell them what he is planning.
AP