This pay-raise issue seems like a really dumb reason to oppose anybody. I'm not seeing what involvement the court had in it. Maybe there is something more substantively wrong with their rulings.
The Pennsylvania State Constitution says
Section 8.
The members of the General Assembly shall receive such salary and mileage for regular and special sessions as shall be fixed by law, and no other compensation whatever, whether for service upon committee or otherwise. No member of either House shall during the term for which he may have been elected, receive any increase of salary, or mileage, under any law passed during such term.
The state legislature voted itself a raise mid-term last summer. Our judges said it was fine. If judges don't uphold the constitution, they should get the boot.
And the same goes to our legislators if they violate it.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who, unfortunately, is not up for retention, was directly involved in the scheme that brought about the illegal pay raise, meeting with legislative leaders to work on it.
Of these two, Nigro is a fair to middling justice, which for Pennsylvania is about as good as it gets. Newman never did have a clue what she was doing on the court, but used her plastic surgeon husband's fortune to finance a successful campaign.
Better to ask for an explanation than to call the voters dumb.
Like everything else, if you are not paid enough, try another line of work.