Justice Clarence Thomas reached a major milestone Thursday, becoming the second-longest serving justice in Supreme Court history, surpassed only by the late William O. Douglas. Appointed in 1991 after contentious confirmation hearings, Thomas has served more than 34 years and shows no signs of retiring. He could become the longest-serving justice in 2028 if he remains on the bench. The 77-year-old has authored landmark conservative opinions on Second Amendment rights, abortion, affirmative action, and voting rights, and now presides over a conservative supermajority shaped by three Trump appointees.

Thomas's enhanced seniority carries significant institutional power. As the most senior member of the conservative majority, he can assign opinion-writing duties when Chief Justice Roberts is not part of the majority, a procedural advantage that influences internal court dynamics and vote calculations. His influence extends beyond the bench through an influential network of former clerks who now serve in federal judgeships and the Trump administration, amplifying his legal legacy across the judiciary for years to come.

The justice's tenure reflects a remarkable arc from near-obscurity at oral arguments in his early years to becoming a towering conservative legal figure. While his confirmation battle in 1991 centered on sexual harassment allegations against Hill, which he denied, Thomas has more recently faced ethics scrutiny over undisclosed luxury trips from a Republican donor and his wife's 2020 election activism. Nevertheless, his jurisprudence has remained remarkably consistent, and he now finds himself writing majority opinions on cases where the Court has increasingly aligned with his originalist constitutional vision.