This headline rubs me the wrong way, since I accuse the media in general of having a conservative bias, or at least unconsciously presenting most stories using right-wing framing of the issues. This headline is a good case and point. They should have just said "Wisconsin justice," or simply Protasiewicz, as the issue doesn't have anything to do with her alleged political leanings, except in right-wing rhetoric.
Indeed, I have to go back to August in search on Google News to find a mention of a "conservative justice." AP News has published tons of articles about "liberal justices," or "liberals" on the Court. The articles that they have published about conservative justices just call them "justices." As if that's the default.
I mean, you could make the argument that the balance of the Court tipped in the last election, so the obsessive mention of "liberal" (especially by AP News) is highlighting the contrast. But lots of those news headlines I found were about Gableman, or Prosser, both of whom engaged in transparently partisan activities. Yet, they are just "former justices."
It's maddening.