Is this opposite day or something? Nothing you just said seems to be based in reality. More than 200 counties that Obama won twice voted for Trump... Is this really evidence of a Republican party that has lurched to "the extreme right"?? Or is it evidence that Democrats have abandoned their more reasonable constituents?
It's amazing that the same people who used to claim that Trump "isn't even a Republican", but rather a populist [i.e. moderate] with a reverence for America, is now the leader of a party on the "extreme right"?? I'm sorry, but I can only laugh at your false simplification. Many in the Conservative camp are 'Never Trumpers' because they don't feel that he's even one of them, nor do they think he'll have fidelity to their main objectives, and they were largely pushed aside in this last election. This group consists of many of the very same people that have often been labeled by the Left as "the Far Right" (people such as Glenn Beck, etc). Trump was deemed by some to be "another New York Liberal", "a friend of Schumer's", and a "Democrat in disguise"...
In many ways, the Republican party is split into three subgroups, and cannot in any serious way be defined by only one of these three groups right now: 1) The Establishment 2) Constitutional Conservatives 3) Populist-Nationalists. And this collection of subgroups came about gradually, not suddenly. It's only become more noticeable now because of Trump and his victory in the 2016 Election.
In what universe has the Democrat Party not been decimated? They only hold 18 governorships, 6 state trifectas, and have no majority in any branch of the federal government. Geographically, the Democratic party has been marginalized to pockets of the coasts... The state of California helped Hillary win the popular vote, but nothing in national politics is decided by the national popular vote, so that number is irrelevant. Politically, they are marginalized in an environment where they continue to hold strong majorities in the mainstream media, academia, and Hollywood, which normally gives them a HUGE advantage over Republicans, and they have nothing noteworthy to show for it!
Also, Conservatives, by definition, are the gradual ones. The Left is the one actively and quickly trying to redefine traditional norms and putting the onus on everyone else to catch up with them or be left behind. Their failed policies may have woken people out of their slumber, but only because their policies genuinely hurt people, not because of the president's likeability. It's why Jimmy Carter lost re-election, and the last two Democrat presidents immediately lost control of the House of Representatives and never regained it back during their presidencies. The last two Republican presidents to lose re-election were "Establishment" types who rode other people's coattails, and people had more difficulty connecting with. Trump not only doesn't fit that category at all, but he has one thing that'll ensure his victory in 2020... he isn't afraid of the mainstream media.