WASHINGTON - Donald Trump's candidacy has long exposed divisions within the Republican Party. But GOP leaders appear to be failing at attempts to hold off an all-out split at least until after the election.

House Speaker Paul Ryan effectively abandoned Trump on Monday, telling fellow lawmakers he would neither campaign for nor defend the floundering businessman in the election's closing weeks. Meanwhile, the head of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, said he's in full coordination with the embattled presidential nominee.

Forty Republican senators and congressmen have revoked their support for Trump, and nearly 30 of them have called on him to quit the race. Few were enthusiastic supporters to begin with, but the last straw was a video of Trump using predatory language to describe his approach with women.