I've seen many election cycles at this point in my life and it is true that the Dems and the media will character assassinate any GOP candidate. However, Trump is different and the hysteria surrounding him surpasses the baseline level of hate that every Republican receives. I think that it's due to his polarizing personality and the way he speaks. It goes beyond the banal political rhetoric like X Republican is racist for supporting voter ID and securing the border. People love and loathe Trump for the stuff that he says and the way that he says it. It doesn't help Trump that he's a soundbite factory for the media. That's why stuff like the infamous "very fine people" comment lingers years after he says it.