Thomas Samuel Ashe graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was admitted to the bar in 1834. He began his legal career in Wadesboro, North Carolina, and later served in various state legislative positions, including a term in the North Carolina House of Commons. Ashe transitioned to the Confederate House of Representatives during the Civil War and was elected to the Confederate Senate in 1864, though the war ended before he could assume that role. After the war, he ran for Governor in 1868 but was defeated. Ashe later served two terms in the United States House of Representatives and was elected as an associate justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, where he remained until his death in 1887.

Thomas Samuel Ashe's political career reveals a deeply rooted commitment to conservative values, particularly during the tumultuous Reconstruction era. His service in Confederate legislative bodies and subsequent gubernatorial bid as a "Conservative" candidate highlight a steadfast alignment with pre-war ideologies. Ashe's judicial appointments, particularly his service on the North Carolina Supreme Court, suggest a preference for maintaining established legal structures over progressive reforms. His personal history, including slave ownership, adds a layer of complexity to his ideological stance, raising questions about the consistency of his conservative principles.