Having fought his way to the top of the South Australian Liberal ticket, Alex Antic is working to reshape the party as a radical outfit more interested in ideology than governing.

The Liberal senator calls himself an irrelevant backbencher, but he’s installed allies, toppled moderates and is pushing the party’s politics to the edge.

His playbook mirrors Donald Trump’s: dominate the narrative, fight the culture wars and never aim for the centre – and moderates fear he will keep the Liberal party unelectable.

Today, special correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Jason Koutsoukis, on the rise of Alex Antic and the fight for the soul of the Liberal Party.

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Guest: Special correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Jason Koutsoukis.

Photo: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas