This guy is a lousy writer. He needs to edit his work. And calling Palin a populist is lowbrow. She’s popular because she’s conservative, and RINOs have a lot of trouble with that.
She's has many "conservative bonifides" e.g. supports low taxes for small business, prolife etc. but also took Exxon and Chevron to court in order to get get a piece of their profits sending each Alaskan citizen their cut of $1500 each.
A very "populist" but "unconservative" policy.
The Dems used to own these kinds of "giveaways". That's why the liberal media essentially ignored it.
She is very much in the tradition of the "Reagan Democrats". Hence their fear.