The media controls the LIVs and mainly what Trump is doing is controllng the media. He jumped to 35% mainly in groups that are not political analysts, just ordinary folks. I know some personally and they are not going to run litmus tests on every candidate and rank them in a spreadsheet.
Mainly they want someone who can win. Walker proved that in Wisc. but not nationwide and naturally the media distorted the Wisc wins (with a freeper or two helping the media out here).
My own view is that we need a strong leader without no hints of PC who will cut immigration, corp. taxes, and a few agencies. That latter I'm not sure anyone can do, including Trump. But Trump would definitely ignore the howls of protests at the cuts.
Without rolling back the federal govt, none of the litmus tests matter in the least.
It looks like a “deal” dynamic is going down here.
The question of “what will Trump stand for” is getting the uncomfortable answer of “what Trump negotiates.” Many (though not all) of the questions have no absolute moral answer, but are questions of proportion.
We haven’t had a candidate that operated like that before.
It sounds to me like it has exciting upside possibilities because in making this deal it will pull Trump to look more like an honest plebiscite than career politicians do. But it is going to depend on the people. Those who insist on saying never, ever are not going to have any leverage. Those who say their price is high, might have leverage.