"Many conservatives argue that the circuit is too "liberal,"
Also not a valid argument. Ideally, courts are insulated from playing politics and, at least to my nonpartisan eye

If you believe the Ninth Circuit has been insulated from playing politics...you do not have an nonpartisan eye...you have a blind eye!

Also land mass does matter as this circuit has many more land issues to address.  And lets face it, San Francisco doesn't have much in common with Alaska...with the exceptions of parts of Anchorage of course...