Poll: Trump Loses One Point in Wake of P*ssy Comments

A wave of Republican officials abandoned Donald Trump on Saturday, but, at least for now, rank-and-file Republicans are standing by the party's presidential candidate, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll conducted immediately after audio was unearthed Friday that had the GOP nominee crudely bragging about groping women and trying to lure a married woman into an affair.

Overall, fewer than 4-in-10 voters -- 39 percent -- think Trump should end his presidential campaign, while only slightly more voters, 45 percent, think he should not drop out.

But voters are largely viewing Trump's comments through their own partisan lens: 70 percent of Democrats say Trump should end his campaign, but just 12 percent of Republicans -- and 13 percent of female Republicans -- agree.

As of now, GOP voters largely want the party to stand behind Trump. Nearly three-quarters of Republican voters, 74 percent, surveyed on Saturday said party officials should continue to support Trump. Only 13 percent think the party shouldn't back him.

Still, Hillary Clinton leads Trump in the four-way race for the White House by 4 percentage points, 42 percent to 38 percent, with 8 percent supporting Gary Johnson, 3 percent supporting Jill Stein and 9 percent undecided. Clinton also leads by four in a two-way race, 45 percent to 41 percent.

In fact, there’s evidence that cutting Trump loose could hurt Republicans like Ayotte, at least initially. There’s little to gain from bailing on Trump: While 31 percent of voters said renouncing support for Trump after the newly released video would make them more likely to vote for a Republican candidate, 25 percent said it would make them less likely to vote for that candidate. More than a third, 34 percent, said it doesn’t matter either way.

And GOP voters could be prepared to punish Republicans who bail on Trump: 28 percent said it would make them more likely to vote for a candidate who can’t support Trump, but 25 percent said it would make them less likely to vote for that candidate. A 41-percent plurality said it won’t affect their vote.

Tremendous support (except for some Republican "leadership"). Thank you.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 9, 2016