For all of the ink that is being spilled on this subject, it’s really very simple. As I noted in one of my earliest posts, the GOP electorate has always responded to swagger: that is, the constant expression of simple and forceful opinions without any sign of hesitation or doubt by men who appear to be willing and able to kick butt if and whenever necessary. Trump has simply taken this to the point where his swagger is virtually the entire message; consistency and ideology are almost beside the point.
You can argue that this makes Trump a caricature of a Republican, not the real deal, and you might be right. God knows there’s nothing in his background as a semi-successful developer that logically entitles him to portray himself as a man on horseback. These are unusual times, however, so it is possible that none of that will matter when the process is played out.