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In this Sept. 13, 1988, file photo, Jim Jeffords celebrates his primary victory for the U.S. Senate with his family in Montpelier. Shown, from left, are Jeffords' son, Leonard, his wife, Liz, his daughter, Laura, and Jeffords.
Following the Monday morning death of former Vermont U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords, VPR dug into its archives for recordings of the pivotal moments in Jeffords' career – including his bombshell 2001 announcement that he would leave the Republican party.
We also dusted off the tape of Jeffords' announcement, in 2005, that he would retire from the Senate, re-digitized The Jeffords Effect, a five-part series we created in 2002, and collected photographs of Jeffords' time in Washington and Vermont.
Jeffords' career was defined by a fierce independent streak, and advocacy for Vermont agriculture, in particular dairy farmers.
Credit Toby Talbot / AP
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AP
From left, Sen. Jim Jeffords, Rep. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Patrick Leahy celebrate the passing of the Northeast Dairy Compact in Montpelier on Nov. 22, 1999.
The Rutland native was the son of a chief justice of the state Supreme Court. He worked his way up the political ladder, serving in the Statehouse, as attorney general, in the U.S. House and the Senate.
Credit Toby Talbot / AP
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AP
U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords, R-Vt., right, is seen with his former seatmate, U.S. Sen. Robert Stafford, R-Vt. in Burlington in this Feb. 14, 1985 file photo.
Jeffords was known for his sense of humor and affable nature. He appeared with the "Singing Senators" but later alienated his fellow performers when he quit the Republican Party.
Credit Ron Edmonds / AP/file
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AP/file
Jeffords, right, performed with the "Singing Senators" on August 15, 1996 at the GOP Convention in San Deigo. From left are Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Miss., Idaho Sen. Larry Craig and Missouri Sen. John Ashcroft.
Throughout his four decades in politics, Jeffords frequently made allies across the aisle.
Credit Ruth Fremson / AP/file
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AP/file
President Bill Clinton signs the FDA Modernization Act of 1997 during a ceremony in the Old Executive Office Building in Washington Friday Nov. 21, 1997. Behind the president, from left are, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., Sen. Jim Jeffords, R-Vt., Vice President Al Gore, Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. and Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas.
When Jeffords left the Republican Party in 2001, he was branded a traitor by the GOP but hailed as a hero by many others.
Credit Toby Talbot / AP File Photo
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AP File Photo
In 2001, Jim Jeffords separated from the Republican party, taking away the GOP majority in the Senate.
One year after Jeffords' switch, VPR produced a five-part series on the fallout of the politician's move to the Independent Party.
Jeffords-Effect-Kinzel.mp3
Audio: The Jeffords Effect, Part I: Senator Reflects On The Past Year
Jeffords-Effect-Dillon.mp3
Audio: The Jeffords Effect, Part 2: Impact On National Policy Issues
Jeffords-Effect-Zind.mp3
Audio: The Jeffords Effect, Part 3: Vermonters Share Opinons
Jeffords-Effect-Keck.mp3
Audio: The Jefford's Effect, Part 4: Patrick Leahy's Heightened Profile
Jeffords-Effect-Bryan_Commentary.mp3
Audio: The Jeffords Effect, Part 5: Frank Bryan Commentary
In 2005, after nearly 40 years of public service, Jeffords announced that he would not seek a fourth term in the U.S. Senate.
Credit Dennis Cook / AP
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AP
Sen. Jim Jeffords, left, walks with his family on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 27, 2006, prior to delivering a farewell speech on the Senate floor. Shown, from left, are Jeffords; his grandson, Patton; Patton's mother, Jeffords' daughter-in-law Maura; Jeffords wife, Liz; and his son; Leonard.
Jeffords-Retirement-announcement-broadcast.mp3
Audio: Citing his and his wife's health, a 70-year-old Jeffords announced his decision not to seek a fourth term in the Senate on April 20, 2005.
In the last years of his life, Jeffords suffered from Alzheimer's disease. A Navy veteran, he lived at a retirement home for veterans in Wahington, D.C. where he died Monday morning.
Editor's note: If you are currently using the VPR app, we recommend that you open the full version of this story.
John worked for VPR in 2001-2021 as reporter and News Director. Previously, John was a staff writer for the Sunday Times Argus and the Sunday Rutland Herald, responsible for breaking stories and in-depth features on local issues. He has also served as Communications Director for the Vermont Health Care Authority and Bureau Chief for UPI in Montpelier.
Angela Evancie serves as Vermont Public's Senior VP of Content, and was the Director of Engagement Journalism and the Executive Producer of Brave Little State, the station's people-powered journalism project.
