Despite the challenges of a male-dominated field, O’Connor was a well-respected attorney. After four years in the Arizona attorney general’s office, she entered the political arena, filling a vacancy in the state senate in 1969.
Her election to the position of state senate majority leader in Arizona marked a historic milestone as she became the first woman in the United States to hold that office.
The Supreme Court Years
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan, was seeking to fulfill a campaign promise to appoint a woman to the Supreme Court. And Sandra Day O’Connor was his choice.
Despite initially sounding conservative during her Senate confirmation hearing, O’Connor’s nuanced approach became evident throughout her tenure on the bench.
O’Connor’s role as the swing justice from the early 1990s until her retirement in 2005 solidified her influence on landmark cases. Her decisions often held the balance in contentious matters, earning her both praise and criticism.
Whether approving taxpayer-funded vouchers for religious school students or upholding affirmative action in college admissions, O’Connor demonstrated a pragmatic approach. Her decisions were based on the law. And defied a consistent judicial philosophy or a political inclination.
