All of which may not quite do justice to a judge who one former 10th Circuit colleague, Stanford law professor Michael McConnell, said “works well with people across the aisle.” Rather, while undeniably conservative, Gorsuch’s Western track record is seen by neutral analysts as both subtle and sophisticated.

“He does have a number of cases involving public lands and the complex web of management and ownership, involving states, the federal government and private parties,” said Grab, who has closely studied Gorsuch’s rulings. “He exhibits an understanding of these complex issues, and the value of the outdoor experience, in his descriptions of the facts at play in each case.”

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“Neil Gorsuch is a genuine Westerner,” McConnell said, and “the West has its own culture.”