Supreme Court Justices' Political Affiliations
Current and Past Justices
The Supreme Court of the United States consists of nine justices: one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. The current Chief Justice is John Roberts, who was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2005. The current Associate Justices are:
- Clarence Thomas, appointed by President George H. W. Bush in 1991
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg, appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993
- Stephen Breyer, appointed by President Clinton in 1994
- Samuel Alito, appointed by President Bush in 2006
- Sonia Sotomayor, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009
- Elena Kagan, appointed by President Obama in 2010
- Neil Gorsuch, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2017
- Brett Kavanaugh, appointed by President Trump in 2018
- Amy Coney Barrett, appointed by President Trump in 2020
Political Affiliations
Supreme Court justices are not required to disclose their political affiliations, but most of them have been affiliated with a political party at some point in their careers. The table below lists the current and past justices' political affiliations, as well as the presidents who appointed them:
| Justice | Political Affiliation | Appointing President |
|---|---|---|
| John Roberts | Republican | George W. Bush |
| Clarence Thomas | Republican | George H. W. Bush |
| Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Democrat | Bill Clinton |
| Stephen Breyer | Democrat | Bill Clinton |
| Samuel Alito | Republican | George W. Bush |
| Sonia Sotomayor | Democrat | Barack Obama |
| Elena Kagan | Democrat | Barack Obama |
| Neil Gorsuch | Republican | Donald Trump |
| Brett Kavanaugh | Republican | Donald Trump |
| Amy Coney Barrett | Republican | Donald Trump |
Notable Opinions
The Supreme Court's decisions are often influenced by the political affiliations of its justices. For example, conservative justices are more likely to uphold laws that restrict abortion rights, while liberal justices are more likely to strike down such laws. Similarly, conservative justices are more likely to support gun rights, while liberal justices are more likely to support gun control.
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