Clarence Thomas
From the archives | The Clarence Thomas vote: What Senators said
USA TODAY Staff
This story originally published Oct. 16, 1991. It is being republished as part of the commemoration of USA TODAY's 40th anniversary Sept. 15, 2022.
![In this Sept. 10, 1991, file photo, then-Supreme Court Justice Nominee Clarence Thomas and his wife Virginia listen during his nomination hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2022/08/19/USAT/f8a7d7b6-b321-415d-9315-7575cfce04d1-AP17158048504926.jpg?crop=2997,1961,x0,y0&width=660&height=432&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Tuesday's 52-48 Senate vote to confirm Clarence Thomas was the most closely watched vote on a Supreme Court nominee in history. In the end, 41 Republicans and 11 Democrats backed Thomas. Some senators cited the Anita Hill allegations in their final decision; others said their choice was based on other factors. Here is what each member had to say about his or her vote:
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