It isn't like the politicians who crave power and are evil have any particular reason to be one side or the other. I suspect it is just mostly dictated by recent history and social programming.
I haven't seen a leftist populist make it anywhere near the top like this. I'm not sure how it'd happen. AOC and her ilk might be annoying people who don't understand economics very well - but I see her just going down in flames vs trying to burn down the country with her.
THe new precedents being set alone .. I can only hope they're not the new normal.