At this time in our history, populism Trumps ideological conservatism.
After 8 years of the exact opposite. The apology tours, endless race cards and getting away with murder both literally (Benghazi), and figuratively, that's no surprise.
Ideology is something everyone has that is defined by others who think they know more and simply have louder voices than you do. It's a losers game.
Our last best flag waver probably was Reagan, that's where populism and nationalism meet Donald Trump's America Great Again, and people are buying that. I did.