Like most winning candidates, he won the swing votes, the ones that really mattered, on his personality. The blue-collar, rust-belt, northeastern states were his linchpin to victory. And it doesn’t take a political scientist to see that his personality, manner, speech and style was a perfect fit for that region.
Anyone not blinded by emotion could see Trump marketing to the rust belt states. Even in the debates he kept on marketing. It was a brilliant tactic.