We always assumed that saying the quiet part out loud worked against you. Turns out that people like saying the quiet part out loud. It gives them a rush. And the people who weren't supposed to hear the quiet part heard it all along, so it doesn't really change anything.

So yeah, they can go ahead and say "Anybody who dislikes my guy is Socialist/Communist/Leftist/Other Vacuous Word That Means Bad To Me". They enjoy it, you hate it, but you can't vote against him any harder than you already were. And for those who were meh on it, they either join in on the joy, or remain meh rather that push back.

It's pretty much win-win for them. It didn't work last time only because of a literal pandemic that would have worked against anybody who was in charge, even if they didn't obviously bungle it.

So basically, expect more of it. Because it works, and it will continue to work.