People like him (Trump too) pretended to be moderates or even Democrats, because that's what was needed to fake it till you make it in New York.
Once they didn't need that anymore, the mask came off (granted, it had been slipping for a long time, especially with Trump who always looked exactly like he was, a narcissist only out for himself) and they showed themselves to be completely what they are. The most assbackward type of right wing self obsessed, self important narcissistic conmen imaginable.