Unfortunately being smart and having actual conservative accomplishments are 100% irrelevant this election cycle.
Part of the reason so many of us feel optimistic about a Trump Presidency is that we recognize that it’s not enough to have a President who believes all the right things. It’s just as important to have a President who can accomplish what he sets out to do. What good is having the perfect conservative, if he has no ability to get what he stands for implemented?
Trump has shown that he has a knack for accomplishing things. He can cajole, lean on people, bargain with them to get things done. Part of getting things done as a President is dealing with Congress, and getting them to pass what you want them to pass.