Freshman Democrat Faced Dilemma on Override : An Anguished Sanford Cast Pivotal Vote

It was an uncomfortable position for any freshman senator, even an experienced Southern Democrat like 69-year-old Terry Sanford.

The former governor of North Carolina and ex-president of Duke University, who ran for President and lost twice during the 1970s, found himself on unfamiliar terrain on the occasion of his first big domestic vote in the Senate. As the swing vote to sustain President Reagan’s veto of the $88-billion highway bill, Sanford was caught between home-state interests and those of his party.

His anguish built visibly as he stood through the roll call, sandwiched between fellow Democrats pressing party loyalty and Republicans pleading with him to follow his publicly announced intention to vote against the override measure.

Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.), the only other senator who had not yet voted, reassured Sanford: “It is anguishing for me, too.”

After about tense 10 minutes, Sanford voted “present.” Moments later, he changed his vote to “no” and quietly left the chamber, leaving Republicans smiling and Democrats stunned. Still later, he agreed to change his vote and join his fellow Democrats in the effort to override the veto, although a second roll call was put off until today.

‘Searching Deeply’

“I think he was searching himself pretty deeply,” an aide, William Green, said.

Sanford had opposed the highway funds bill on the grounds that North Carolina would continue to spend more money than it would receive in road benefits. After talking with many people during the day, Green said, the first-term senator became convinced that unemployment would be a “very big fallout from this (veto).”

All eight Democrats in North Carolina’s House delegation voted to override the veto.

Such difficult political questions were far from new to Sanford, who was considered one of the South’s most progressive governors when he headed his state from 1960 through 1965 and was the first Southern gubernatorial candidate to support John F. Kennedy’s presidential bid.

Known as Dixie Moderate

A former FBI agent who became a lawyer, Sanford attracted national attention for his moderate views on civil rights and was an early opponent of the U.S. military role in Vietnam.

Last November, he won a special election, over Rep. James T. Broyhill (R-N.C.), for the seat left vacant after Republican Sen. John P. East committed suicide.

By day’s end, the veteran of past political battles seemed to be taking the whirlwind of events in stride.

“I’ve made tougher decisions than that,” Sanford said. “I’ve been ostracized before in legislative bodies for voting against the majority. That doesn’t bother me.”