Indeed, but for Trump in 2015 they worked in the GOP base, like the attacks on McCain. And they worked very well in 2006&08, for Dems and independents, when people knew what he was.
They've totally dried up post-2016 when HRC used Bush-era GOP leaders and the media celebrated the slightest equivocation from the Bush family to push the message that Trump was an abberation from "normal Republicans" as represented by Bush.
The result is as depressing as it was predictable.
Look at the sharp climb post 2015 - that is driven by non-Republicans, as shown here: