A majority of Republican voters believe that the events of this election cycle have fractured their party, according to an NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll.
Among all likely voters:
- Republican Party is divided, will still be divided in November: 74 percent;
- Republicans are united: 4 percent.
Fewer Republicans who took the poll, but still a majority, feel the same way.
- The GOP still be divided by the election: 57 percent;
- Party will unite by November: 35 percent;
- Party is united now: 7 percent.
A fracturing of the party is a valid concern for many likely Republicans and Republican-leaning voters, the poll results show.
When asked if the GOP needs to unite to win:
- The party needs to unite: 63 percent;
- Trump can win without a united GOP: 34 percent.
While the party's candidate, Donald Trump, has criticized Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, and the majority of Republicans would trust him to lead the party more than Ryan.
- Republicans who trust Trump more: 63 percent;
- Republicans who trust Ryan more: 34 percent.
Both Democrats and independent voters would trust Ryan to lead the party instead of Trump:
- Democrats who trust Ryan: 84 percent;
- Independents who trust Ryan: 62 percent.
A portion of Trump's supporters said they would trust Ryan over their candidate to lead the party:
- Trump supporters who would trust Ryan: 25 percent;
- Trump supporters who trust Trump: 72 percent.
A wide majority of voters who support other candidates would also trust the House speaker more than Trump.
- Clinton supporters: 87 percent;
- Libertarian Gary Johnson's supporters: 80 percent;
- Green Party candidate Jill Stein's supporters: 71 percent.
NBC News and SurveyMonkey conducted the poll online from Oct. 17 to Oct. 23 among a nationwide sample of 32,225 likely voters.
Ryan's job as speaker could be on the line over his disagreements with Trump, as conservative lawmakers have criticized the Wisconsin senator.
According to CNN Politics, Oklahoma Rep. Jim Bridenstine, who voted for Ryan for speaker, said, "Given the stakes of this election, if Paul Ryan isn't for Trump, then I'm not for Paul Ryan."