To borrow Capt spalding’s pedantry hat, literacy and critical thinking are two different things. You’ve got top scientists with PhDs who believe bullshit things like creationist geology ie the world is 4000-6000 years old. There was a post last week about someone with a PhD in English (IIRC) who couldn’t work out why the far side of the moon was illuminated. These people can read and write well enough to gather information for a PhD, but lack critical thinking skills.

Add in promises of a better future by someone whose policies are against the grain because traditional governments aren’t solving problems, and you’ve got a population of RWNJs ripe for the picking. Clive Palmer lacks the charisma Trump apparently possesses. Clive’s reregistered the United Australia Party and promises squillions of dollars spent on advertising coming up to the next election.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/get-ready-for-the-biggest-clive-palmer-advertising-campaign-ever-20260311-p5o9ix