User:DangApricot/Sandbox2

Joe Lieberman refuses to close the door on switching parties, potentially shifting the power back in the Senate to Republican. A similar situation happened in the Great Senate Deadlock of 1881.

The Senate Republican and Democratic floor leaders are elected by the members of their party in the Senate at the beginning of each Congress.

When there is an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, the Vice President, as President of the Senate, is called upon to cast the tie breaking vote. For example, this occured frequently during the 107th Congress <ref name=partydiv http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/one_item_and_teasers/partydiv.htm.

Senator James Jeffords of Vermont announced his switch from Republican to Independent status, effective June 6, 2001. Jeffords announced that he would caucus with the Democrats, giving the Democrats a one-seat margin (50-49), thus passing control of the Senate from the Republicans back to the Democrats. .