Do you see why presenting "extreme gun control, censorship" (authoritarian ideas, not "leftist" ideas) might therefore not be considered a good argument for the idea that left-wing policy is gaining popular support?
This is a common misunderstanding in another group I converse with. Left in his context refers to the American one, which refers to an overarching field that is represented by the American progressives and includes the moderate dems (center left) progressives and socialists /communists, amongst others. You're coming from a European left right split, which means something different.