Mike Davis

@byMikeDavis

WEST LONG BRANCH — Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has opened up a 12-point lead among national voters, as lewd comments and claims of unwanted sexual advances by Republican nominee Donald Trump have apparently scared some voters away from him.

According to a Monmouth University poll, Clinton widened her lead over Trump by 8 points, turning what had been a tight four-point race into a 12-point margin in just three weeks.

FLASHBACK: Clinton holds slim 4-point lead

Since early October, Trump has been criticized for his comments in a 2005 Access Hollywood video in which he lamented his failed effort to bed a married celebrity and claims he can't control himself around women. In light of the video, multiple women have come public with stories of allegedly unwanted sexual advances by Trump.

According to the poll, among 805 registered voters Oct. 14 -16:

50 percent of likely voters support Clinton.

38 percent of likely voters support Trump.

5 percent of likely voters support Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.

2 percent support Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

Among registered voters, Clinton holds a 9-point lead over Trump. The larger lead among likely voters is due to those registered voters who may not cast a ballot: Only 5 percent of Clinton supporters are considered "unlikely" to vote, while 10 percent of Trump supporters may not vote.

“Clinton has increased her lead among all registered voters, but the main difference between this month and last month is that her supporters have become more enthusiastic, and thus more likely to turn out while Trump backers have become less likely to vote,” said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

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Sixty-two percent of likely voters said claims of unwanted sexual advances by Trump are credible, though only 29 percent of Trump voters found them legitimate. But there is no gender difference: About 60 percent of men and 62 percent of women said they were credible claims.

But voters are divided about whether Trump's comments in the 2005 Access Hollywood video were "locker room talk," as he has maintained. About 40 percent of voters believe either "most men" or "few men" partake in that type of "banter."

The opinions widely vary by candidate: Sixty-six percent of Clinton supporters, including 69 percent of men, said "few men" use that language.

Among Trump supporters, 69 percent said "most men actually talk like this," including 69 percent of male supporters.

NOT SO FAST: Shore voters mostly decry lewd Trump comments

About 46 percent of voters said the video and ensuing claims of sexual aggression showcased "inappropriate" behavior but didn't necessarily disqualify Trump from the presidency. Forty-five percent of voters said they did disqualify him.

"This is a chicken and egg problem," Murray said. "Is Trump’s base really comprised almost entirely of voters who engage in or condone the kind of sexually aggressive language he used? Or are his voters constructing a post-hoc defense of Trump to rationalize their continued support of him?

"It’s really not clear, but either way it speaks to the divisiveness that has characterized this election" he said.

Unlike Trump, documents published by WikiLeaks that focused on Clinton's speeches with Wall Street firms and other businesses aren't having as much of an impact on her campaign.

Just 25 percent of voters said the emails made them "think less highly of Clinton" and 45 percent said they had no impact. Additionally, 28 percent of respondents said they were unaware of the WikiLeaks emails.

About 23 percent of undecided or third-party voters said the emails made them think less of the Democratic nominee.

MORE: Inside the Monmouth University poll

Other poll findings include:

Clinton's favorability has hovered at 38 percent, while Trump's dropped from 32 percent to 26 percent.

41 percent of voters said the Republican Party isn't "giving Trump enough support," while 47 percent say Trump isn't giving the party enough support.

60 percent of voters believe Clinton has the right temperament for the presidency, while only 31 percent of voters believe Trump has it.

47 percent of voters said it is "important to them to make sure Trump does not get elected," while 40 percent feel the same way about Clinton.

Mike Davis: 732-643-4223; mdavis@gannettnj.com