I used to be a Trump supporter for the same reason you state. He was extremely effective at making himself heard, and taking a wrecking ball to the liberal propaganda organs (the media) and political correctness and anyone who gets in his way - he’s a great salesman - you want to believe what he says, you want to believe he will make America great again.
I liked Cruz a lot also because he’s truly grounded in conservatism - it’s part of his being. I trust him more. But he didn’t quite have the same ability to steamroll our adversaries the way Trump does.
The thing that started make me rethink Trump was his inconsistencies and the way he could turn on people that he just said he liked. One day the establishment is the enemy, the next day he’s in love with Pelosi, Reid, Schumer and McConnell. And the thing that truly turned me off is his use of the same demagogue language that the left uses and even worse. Stuff about leaving people dying in the streets, Bush lied, Bush knew about 9/11, defunding parenthood one day and then saying that they do wonderful things. And on and on.
Bottom line I have no clue of what he’s going to do, because what he says today, he could easily change tomorrow. And us conservatives could easily become his enemies and then he can just as effectively use his wrecking ball against us. So one of his strength could become a weapon he uses against us.
So I’m back with Cruz. I’m much more confident that he will do what he says - he has proven that against some very stiff opposition. Also he’s getting better at dishing it out, as he has proven with his recent tiffs against Trump. So he will also fare well against whoever the democrats select.
The ideal would be a Cruz with a Trump personality.