If he were a hardcore idealogue who was certain to be a solid conservative vote on social issues he wouldn’t have gotten this treatment by the Repukes. It’s theater so they can pretend they are with us
For liberals, Gorsuch is even worse than a “solid conservative vote on social issues” in some ways. He has openly stated that aggrieved malcontents have no business using the Federal courts to push an agenda that they can’t successfully pursue in a legislative process. There is an “I don’t give a sh!t” objective ruthlessness there that scares Democrats more than a partisan conservative would.
Apparently you have a different idea how judges conduct themselves. They do not show an ideology and, in fact, do everything they can to hide one. This is true of the Left as well. Only a fool would give his enemies a means to block him.