@snood,
You're right. I thought when he started out, his disparaging remarks against Hispanics automatically disqualified him. Since Republicans after 2012 all were talking about the need to get more of the minority vote, especially Hispanics, I figured Trump's political life was going to be short lived. Instead, it grew and grew. Republicans were talking about widening their appeal to women as well. Trump was famous for calling women fat pigs. Did it stop him? Nope.
Then Trump started talking about doing away with NATO if the other countries didn't pay up, thereby opening up Eastern Europe to re-conquest by Putin, whom Trump seems buddy buddy with. I figured that would doom him. No dice. At least, not until the debate, it remains to be seen if that hurt him there.
Each time I think the stake has been finally put through the heart of Trump's candidacy, he returns yet again. At this point, I have no idea what it would take to stop this guy. About the two things I can see right now are
a. In previous years the immigration issue was a big deal early on in the campaign, in the last couple of months it faded as an issue and both parties ended up chasing the Hispanic vote, the hell with immigration.
b. Women are likely to dislike Trump the more they see him. His bragging, arrogant manner seems especially anathema to what women want in a leader.
I have no idea if this analysis will work, but that's where I am now. So far, Trump has survived all the mishaps that are supposedly fatal to a candidate.