Republican voters frown on party establishment's criticism of Donald Trump

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (R) and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attend the second presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, the United States, Oct. 9, 2016.(Xinhua/File Photo/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 -- A majority of Republican voters say that the party establishment is hurting the party with their continued criticism of presidential nominee Donald Trump, a new poll said on Wednesday.

According to the new Rasmussen Reports poll, nearly six in ten Republican voters believe it is bad for the party that party leaders continue to criticize Trump.

Meanwhile, half Republican voters say that the party leaders do not want Trump to be elected president.

The poll came days after an 11-year-old audio clip surfaced in which Trump was recorded of using lewd and sexually aggressive comments about women.

During the audio clip, Trump made remarks about an unidentified married woman he hoped to have sex with, boasted about how easy it is to attract women with his celebrity status and even talked about groping women.

When you're a star, women let you do anything, he was recorded as saying.

The New York billionaire later apologized for the "locker room banter" in the audio, but claimed that his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, "has said far worse to me on the golf course -- not even close."

However, Trump's bid to shift the focus appeared to have failed as Ryan, the highest-ranking Republican official, and other party leaders, released statements blasting the billionaire.

At least 30 Republican governors and lawmakers, including Senator McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, had so far made clear that they would not vote for Trump.

Though he had so far not rescinded his endorsement of Trump, House Speaker Ryan on Monday told fellow Republican lawmakers in a conference call that he would neither defend nor campaign with Trump.

After top Republican leaders either distanced themselves from or abandoned their bellicose standard-bearer after his leaked lewd women comments, Trump on Tuesday unleashed vitriol at Republican party establishment.

"Disloyal R's (Republicans) are far more difficult than Crooked Hillary. They come at you from all sides," said Trump on Twitter. "They don't know how to win - I will teach them!"

In other posts on Tuesday, Trump called House Speaker Paul Ryan "very weak and ineffective leader" and Senator John McCain "very foul mouthed" who "begged for my support during his primary."

Trump also proclaimed in one post that "shackles have been taken off" him and he could now "fight for Americans the way I want to."