A partisan battle over PresidentReagan's veto of an 88-billion dlr highway bill resumes in the
Senate today after an apparent victory for the White House was
left in doubt when a key Democrat switched his vote 
    The Senate yesterday had voted to sustain Reagan's veto by
a narrow margin, but Democrats moved to reconsider the vote.
Terry Sanford of North Carolina, the only Democrat to support
Reagan, later said he had decided to vote to override when the
bill is reconsidered.
    If no other votes switch, the Senate would override the
veto on reconsideration, Senate Republican leader Robert Dole
of Kansas said. He said Reagan and Administration officials
would continue to lobby for votes to sustain the veto.
    "As of right now, the vote would be 67 to 33 (in favor of
the bill) and the veto would be overriden," Dole said. 
    After several hours of delay, Senate leaders were unable to
agree on a time for a second vote and the Senate recessed until
this morning with the issue unresolved.
    Sanford denied he had been pressured to change his vote,
but told the Senate, "I have talked to and have been talked to
by a number of senators. I have thought a little more deeply
about this vote."
    The first Senate vote put Reagan on the verge of a
political triumph he had sought to show he is rebounding
strongly from the Iran arms scandal.
