People have become increasingly fed up with an establishment elite that has ignored the everyday problems of everyday people while enriching themselves at the expense of the common man.

We have already seen how this has been playing out on the right. I came across an article that illustrated the paradigm shift that has occurred among conservative, and even libertarian, circles.

If we look at the data in greater detail, we can see the remarkable extent to which Reaganism has been repudiated by Republican voters. The three populists in the race (Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy) are polling at a combined 75.7 percent. The eight Reaganite conservatives, meanwhile, are supported by a grand total of 17.3 percent. That’s not just a win for the populists. It’s a blowout.

When it comes to the populist field, DeSantis continues to stand out, holding on to second place, several points above the third-place Ramaswamy (who nonetheless narrowly outperforms all of the Reaganite options). But far more noteworthy is the extent of DeSantis’ fade in the polls since Trump’s first indictment at the end of March. The Florida governor hovered for months around 30 percent, about 13 points behind Trump. But the moment Trump was indicted, he surged and DeSantis fell, first to 20 percent, but eventually to his current position in the low teens.

It seems clear, then, that not only has a solid majority of the Republican electorate firmly and unambiguously rejected Reaganite conservativism and embraced right-wing populism in its place. Those who have undergone this populist shift also vastly prefer Trump’s uniquely rabid, irreverent, and bombastic version of it to the alternatives—even when (and perhaps especially when) it crosses the line into alleged criminality.

So, why has this sea change occurred?

Much of it is related to frustration – and even animus – toward the establishment elites in the Republican Party. Conservatives are increasingly viewing populist politicians like Trump, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and others, as the best weapon to wield against the elites. It is not only about policy but also about attitude. People like the former president have tapped into a sentiment that has been growing for a long time. He not only challenged regulations and fiscal policies, he also attacked the credibility of the elite media with impunity. His presidency was essentially the culmination of what began during the days of the Tea Party.

This is not only a right-wing phenomenon. It is also happening on the left. Figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have positioned themselves as leaders who are willing to take on the Democratic Party’s establishment. However, President Joe Biden is a quintessential establishment figure and remains the party’s leader at the moment.

But how long will this last? How much longer will it be before Democrats have their own Trumpian figure to shake things up?

It is clear that there is a growing appetite for something different, which is evidenced by numerous polls showing that Democratic voters would rather have a different nominee for the presidency in 2024. There is a sense that the establishment is not as responsive to the needs of the people as it should be.

While Biden is the leader of the Democrats at the moment, his reign will not last forever. It is only a matter of time before a populist figure, perhaps a younger one, is catapulted onto the national stage to take up the anti-establishment mantle. In essence, I do not believe we are far away from seeing a Democratic Trump, an individual who will harness the simmering frustration among left-leaning Americans and use it as a cudgel against the out-of-touch elite. This person would likely champion robust action on climate change, single-payer healthcare, wealth redistribution, and a slew of other Marxist endeavors.

Just as the ascendance of populism signified a change of thought on the right, such a development would herald a new era in leftist politics. It might be a harbinger foretelling a move away from supposedly moderate policies espoused by the current establishment.

Such a shift would pose a great danger to liberty, as the left lurches even further toward Marxist authoritarianism. The thirst for change could result in too many Americans drinking arsenic-laced political tea, which would result in a population that is even more divided than what we are seeing in 2023. If my prediction is accurate, America could be in for some tumultuous times.