Shad: according to a story originating with Knight Ridder Newspapers, you are mostly right, but not entirely, in your reply to my post about resignations of switchers.

"Sen. Phil Gramm, a Texas Republican, chose a different route (from Jeffords and others). He was a Democratic member of the U. S. House in the 1980s when, estranged from his party, quit his seat and ran in a special election for his House seat as a Repbulican. He won, then ran for a Senate seat a year later and won."

DougR