John Glover Roberts Jr won confirmation as the 17th chief justice of the United States on Thursday, overwhelmingly confirmed by the Senate to lead the Supreme Court.
The Senate voted 78-22 to confirm Roberts -- a 50-year-old US Appeals judge -- as the successor to the late William H Rehnquist, who died early in September. All of the Senate's majority Republicans, and about half of the Democrats, voted for Roberts.
Underscoring the rarity of a chief justice's confirmation, senators answered the roll by standing one by one at their desks as their names were called, instead of voting and leaving the chamber.
Roberts is the first new Supreme Court justice since 1994. He has the potential of leading the Supreme Court for decades. Not since John Marshall, confirmed in 1801 at 45, has there been a younger chief justice.
Roberts also will hold a record of sorts -- nominated to succeed two different Supreme Court justices within seven weeks. President George W Bush originally named him to succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in July.
Rehnquist's death led to the second nomination on September 6, and Roberts now will be confirmed as chief justice, while O'Connor remains on the court until the president selects a new replacement.
