perhaps the core reason the GOP has lost its base to Trump is the violation of an unspoken promise.
which was to keep high benefit, well pensioned police and fire department, civil service, and union construction jobs, within certain neighborhoods and families. where was the nepotism. the handshake exchange of business, then dollars. that incestuous nature kept so many of those places mostly one race. less from racism than deliberate unfairness. from wanting those goodies going to one's friends and family.
what happened is the elites at the top are laughing at the suckers who voted their guy in. and supported the idea that there was a trickle down pyramid for those who were in the GOP big tent. unaware they were in a big tent pyramid scheme. perhaps they noticed when the pensions vanished from cost cuts. or off shored corporate taxes.
so now those at the bottom - who once were in the middle - see a guy saying he will honor that promise. they are following him. the rest of the party thought being so obvious would never work until it did.
selfishness sells every time.
the voters who flocked to the GOP wanted to be kept on the inside track. that didn't happen. others were supposed to be kept out. non-family. non-friends. folks who didn't look like the rest of “us.” the GOP was supposed to do that. and failed to keep its implied word.
Trump voters want that inside track back. He has promised to hook them up.