He’s being populist and he knows that conservative is where the people really are (liberal plays to certain small groups but does not get broader America to buy in).
I don’t think this is wind testing. I think he has never, methodically, thought these positions through, but as he is forced to do so, he is moving to the right. I certainly wouldn’t drape a conservative mantle on him yet, but I think he has developed a conservative position on guns, taxes, immigration that he wouldn’t have had 2years ago.