[Iscool]

Trump fans, on some level, have given up that belief assuming they ever had it to begin with, I think. They wish Cruz was right but they just don’t think conservatism is an electoral winner anymore, either because the character of the country has changed or because changing demographics have made it impossible. At this point, the best deal you’re going to get is a guy like Trump who’s compromised ideologically but seems to have some conservative instincts, most notably on immigration, and who seems like he really might be willing to push the country in that direction (on certain issues) if he’s given power.

That about hits the nail on the head...

We may as well throw that phrase 'conservatism' away...It means so many different things to different people it doesn't have much of a meaning anyway...

I call myself a conservative but I sure am happy Social Security and Medicare exists...I appreciate unemployment benefits, paid vacations and employer paid insurance benefits...

I am anti-Nafta and all other unfair trade pacts...I am anti-globalism, New World Order and One world government...

Some of you people will have a hard time calling me a conservative...And I will have a hard time calling some of you people conservatives...

Bringing in 350,000 H1B visa holder per year for 5 years as Ted Cruz want to do and likely would succeed is about as liberal as one can get to me...That's one and three quarter million more Americans out of a job over 5 years...

Trump will be conservative enough for me...

[HiTech RedNeck]

Also notice that he’s getting advised by some “rock ribbed” conservatives, and they can clue him in on hot button areas that he can evolve on to get the country behind him. There are many months for this story to play out in.