It's because legally, having a criminal record doesn't disqualify you from running. There isnt anything preventing this. Most likely its to help prevent a minor mishap from long ago condemning your future abilities (otherwise, you'd have all sorts of small charges against every politician to destroy their career. It would make the worst blackmail material).

Now, morally why did enough people vote for him anyway is a whole different issue that I don't have an answer for.

But you don't understand, the only other choice we had was a lady....

Wasn't it something like:

• 1/3 voted in favor of him
• 1/3 voted against him
• 1/3 couldn't be bothered

Good portion of people don’t give a shit.

I’ve spend the past three years trying to get people to investigate the sexual and physical abuse of children in Oklahoma, including some child trafficking. No one cares or wants to do anything about it. More people than we want to admit are okay with children being raped and abused as long as they are a certain type of child (foster kids usually.)

A considerable amount of the American general public is criminally ignorant, willfully terrible, or both.

Because he told the worst people in the country that he would hurt the people they don't like.

Honestly that's it, that the whole thing. There's nothing deeper than that.

Trump told racists, bigots, evil people that he was going to hurt their enemies, so they voted for him.

First time in the USA?

Remember that every time you imagine the American voter.

AIPAC

Because the “opposition” still thinks waving signs and doing parades counts as “action”

Because they were kept secret by his accomplice.