Editor’s note: This is part one of a two-part series. Read part two here.

A change is occurring in the American political landscape — a gradual paradigm shift that could transform the nature of the nation’s political debate. It’s not a rapid evolution, but it could be coming sooner than we think. Groups who typically support left-wing views are becoming more open to considering other political ideas.

Up until this point, the left has enjoyed near unyielding support from racial minorities and the LGBTQ+ community. It was almost a given that if a person were black, Hispanic, gay, or lesbian, then they would undoubtedly vote for Democratic politicians. These individuals were far more likely to support leftist causes. However, as time continues to move forward, members of these groups lose faith in the left.

The growth of the #WalkAway movement , in which people are being encouraged to leave the Democratic Party, is but one indicator that the left should be concerned about losing support.

Why Do Minority Groups Vote for Democrats?

The left has typically gained power by appealing to groups who have been historically oppressed in America. They have reached out to non-white Americans and members of the LGBTQ+ community by promising to fight on their behalf. In the past, these disaffected people have suffered discrimination and been legitimately wronged by American society. However, we have made tremendous strides in rectifying these past sins. While bigotry still exists, it is not as powerful a force in our current environment. This reality is beginning to pose a problem for the left.

The issue facing the left is that the members of previously disaffected groups are not subject to the same treatment they dealt with previously. Nevertheless, Democratic leaders have continued to push a message of victimhood and oppression to these communities to maintain their influence. The bottom line is this: The primary reason racial minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community support left-leaning politicians isn’t because of the left’s superior ideology. Instead, it is because the left has successfully convinced them that the conservative movement is full of racists, homophobes, and misogynists.

One of the left’s most effective political strategies was to label their opposition as bigots who only cater to the needs of white Christian men. It worked like a charm. Why? Because the left has control over the establishment news media outlets, the entertainment industry, and our higher learning institutions. Conservatives did not have the means to combat the left’s propaganda machine . However, despite the fact that the left dominates some of the most important facets of American culture, their grip on their victimhood class is beginning to slip.

There are two reasons for the change in the thinking of these individuals. First, the American left has become more radical in both behavior and ideology. Second, through alternative media, conservatives have finally managed to subvert the left’s dominance over the press.

The Left’s Behavior Is Driving People Away

The left-leaning establishment media doesn’t want anyone to know this, but people are getting fed up with the Democratic Party. Many have publicly stated the reasons they decided to stop supporting left-wing politicians, and it is likely that many less-vocal individuals feel the same way.

When you look at the #WalkAway movement , you can see that the conduct of many on the left is the reason folks are leaving the Democrats behind. If you go to the campaign’s website, you can hear from several individuals who grew weary of the obsession with bigotry and victimhood. On social media these people also state that the left’s habit of demonizing others with differing views was also a deciding factor:

“I don’t vote for someone just because they too have a vagina…I’m more interested in boosting the economy so I can better provide for my family. The only thing Hillary has boosted is her own personal wealth by selling out our country!” “Because I’ve found more love and acceptance in the #MAGA movement than I ever did in the LGBT community. #walkaway #gaysfortrump” “If we look across this great nation and we look at cities that have been run for decades by Democrats we see nothing but crime and violence in places like Detroit, and Flint, Ferguson, Baltimore, St. Louis, and so many other places, and this is not what I want my country to look like.” “As I look at what’s going on now by all the Democrat supporters and by all the Democrats like Maxine Waters calling for violence, there’s marching and protesting over issues that don’t even exist. There’s people getting drinks splashed in their faces and their hats stolen, and there’s people getting beat up in the street just because they’re wearing a Trump hat, or because they’re white and people expect that perhaps they voted for Trump.”

You might be tempted to think that these quotes are from straight, white, Christian males, but these people are black, white, Hispanic, gay, straight, and transgender. These Americans decided to leave the Democratic Party knowing that they would be met with derision and scorn. They knew they would lose their relationships with friends and family, but they did it anyway.

One of the driving forces behind their decision was the left’s increasingly radical rhetoric and behavior and the corruption of their politicians. Many of them use the phrase “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party, they left me.” While they are not all becoming Republicans, they are making a clean break with the left.

The other prime factor in this equation is the alternative media. Conservatives have discovered how to use other methods to get around the establishment media . It is the same principle that the president uses when he takes to Twitter to get his message out rather than relying on a hostile press.

Through video streaming, social media, podcasting, talk radio, and other methods, right-leaning figures have cultivated a far wider audience than they have previously. In the next installment, we will discuss how conservatives have used alternative media to convert Americans who would have otherwise been averse to leaving the left.