I’ve not seen such intensity in a Republican candidate since Reagan who I voted for 1st time I was able @ 18 yrs. old.
Reagan had hutzpah. Said what he meant straight from the heart and meant what he said without backing down or making excuses. It’s what I like about Trump. The more I hear him speak, the more I like him because I detest political correctness along with “born and bred” politicians (and so does he).
But, he has much of the same anti-establishment appeal that RR had. The GOPe hated RR. They thought he was a war monger. They all tried to get him to drop out of the 76 race.
But the biggest difference is that Reagan appealed on three main things: 1) he wasn't Carter, and he promised to reverse Carterism; 2) he promised to fix the economy (pretty vague, except tax cuts), and 3) he promised to build up America's military. Again, almost no specifics.
Trump's BIGGEST appeal is that he is not a politician, not from DC, and has no fingerprints on ANYTHING that has happened in the last 10 years. Only Carson and Fiorina can say that.
His three big things are 1) fix immigration the right way, building a wall and deporting; 2) fix the economy (again, vague on the specifics), and 3) restore American greatness internationally.
Any fair person will see the pattern: in each case it's confidence. Does the candidate convince others he has the ability AND THE WILL do actually change things? Cruz has the will, but I don't think he has the ability; don't know that Carson has the will or the ability; Fiorina has both, but doesn't convince large enough numbers that she does.