WASHINGTON — As a moderate Republican, Vermont Sen. James Jeffords has frequently crossed the aisle on big issues, from abortion rights to tax cuts.
But it would be his biggest leap yet if he announces, as expected, Thursday that he will leave the Republican Party because of differences with the Bush administration and end his party's control of the Senate.
A three-term senator from rural Vermont with a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, 67-year-old Jeffords first showed his independent streak when in 1981 he was the sole Republican in the House of Representatives to oppose President Ronald Reagan's tax cut.
He also voted against the nomination of Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court and was the first Republican to oppose the impeachment of President Clinton.
He has stood apart from his party on the issue of gay rights and was heartily endorsed in November by the Log Cabin Republicans, the biggest gay Republican group.
Unlike President Bush, he supports abortion rights and broke with his party to put his weight behind the Family Leave Act. He also opposed then-House Speaker New Gingrich's "Contract With America" in 1994.
Jeffords quickly became a thorn in the side of the 2001 Bush administration, opposing the president's $1.6 trillion tax cut plan over 10 years. He has also opposed the Republican effort to jettison the federal estate tax, which collects taxes from any estate valued at more than $675,000.
LACK OF SUPPORT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
The was particularly irked by what he saw as Bush's lack of support for an increase in special education funding, a passion of Jeffords, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
In addition, he was angered by speculation the White House might punish his opposition to Bush's tax plan by blocking a price-protection measure that is important to Vermont's dairy farmers, key constituents for Jeffords.
Another incident that further isolated him was an apparent snub by the White House. The administration did not invite Jeffords to the National Teacher of the Year Award ceremony last month, even though the winner of this year's top honor was Michele Forman, a social studies teacher from Jefford's home state of Vermont.
Despite his moderate views, Jeffords has close friendships with leading conservatives from the Republican Party, including Senate Republican leader Trent Lott of Mississippi.
Jeffords plays in a quartet called the "Singing Senators" along with Lott, Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho and John Ashcroft, now the U.S. attorney general. Last year, the harmonizing quartet cut a compact disc of country and gospel songs, donating the funds to charity and political causes.
Born in Rutland, Vermont, on May 11, 1934, Jeffords is the son of a former chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, who was also a leading Republican.
Like Bush, he received his undergraduate degree from Yale University but then went on to Harvard where he received a law degree in 1962.
A former Navy man, he served with the U.S. Navy from 1956 to 1959 and retired as a reserve in 1990 with the rank of captain.
BEGAN CAREER IN STATE POLITICS
He began his political career as a Vermont state senator for Rutland County from 1967 to 1968 and held his first statewide office as Vermont attorney general from 1969 to 1973.
From 1975 to 1988, Jeffords served as Vermont's congressman-at-large. As a member of the House, he was the ranking Republican member of the House Education and Labor Committee and served on the House Agriculture Committee.
An avid arts enthusiast, Jeffords co-founded the Congressional Arts Caucus and was one of six founders of the Congressional Solar Coalition.
He has voted against his party on some environmental issues and served as chairman of the House Environmental Study Conference from 1978 to 1979.
Jeffords was elected to the U.S. Senate where he is currently serving his third term after crushing his Democratic opponent in November and drawing a good deal of support from Vermont Democrats.
He is married to Elizabeth Daley and has two children, Leonard and Laura. Jeffords' residence is in Shrewsbury, Vermont.