For Republicans who are finally defecting from Donald Trump's campaign, I have just two words: You're late.

Republicans of principle abandoned Trump long ago, back when he had a chance to win, back when it mattered. To jump ship now, when he's in free fall, is opportunism.

Trump's revolting comments about the joys of sexual assault revealed nothing new about his character. In public, he routinely degrades women and describes sex as a conquest; it's no surprise that he's even worse in private.

And let's face it: His predatory attitude towards women is just one item on a long list of disqualifiers.

Republicans need to explain how they could stomach the idea that this man would take Abraham Lincoln's chair. Is their loyalty to their party so blind that they would place the nation's fate in Trump's hands?

Steve Schmidt, a senior Republican strategist, is among those who can hardly believe his party is debasing itself like this.

"There is nobody who holds any position of responsibility who in private conversations views Donald Trump as equipped mentally, morally and intellectually to be president," he said. "But scores of Republican leaders have failed a fundamental test of moral courage and political leadership in not speaking truth to the American people about what is so obvious."

An example: Condoleezza Rice, the former secretary of state, called on Trump to drop out last week. Great.

But where was she when Trump said he might not come to the defense of our NATO allies if Russia invades the Baltics? That is the sort of statement that can tempt an aggressor like Vladimir Putin.

How can Republicans who support Trump stomach his bigotry?

The latest flare-up came during Sunday's debate. Trump was asked about the growing bias against Muslims, and he responded with a hateful lie, saying that Muslims in San Bernardino saw bombs "all over" and didn't report it to police. Fact-checkers have debunked that over and over.

Researchers at Duke University studied all terror investigations since September 11, and found that tips from American Muslims have been the single richest source of information for the FBI.

Trump's slander of Latinos is just as revolting. Try to imagine Lincoln arguing that a federal judge of Mexican descent should quit a case because of the inherent bias of his ethnicity?

The list goes on and on. He brags about avoiding taxes, and proposes obscene new breaks for the rich. He is a con man with a long history of shorting partners and customers. He encouraged violence at his rallies. He insulted a war hero, Sen. John McCain, and a Gold Star family, the Khans. He wants to reintroduce torture "even if it doesn't work."

And he lies like the rest of us breathe. Politico recently analyzed five days of Trump utterances and found a falsehood, on average, every 3.5 minutes.

These stains will take years for Republicans to wash away. The party has soiled itself by supporting Trump.

There are some heroes in this tale. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, the classiest candidates in the GOP primary, abandoned Trump when it could have cost him his career. Former Gov. Christie Whitman is done with electoral politics, but she brought needed moral clarity to this discussion by comparing Trump to Adolf Hitler.

On Monday, Speaker Paul Ryan told fellow Republicans that he will no longer defend Trump, or spend resources on his campaign. But even now, he can't bring himself to rescind his endorsements.

On the shameless end of this spectrum is Gov. Chris Christie, the chief cheerleader for Trump, and the most transparently opportunistic man alive. If there is one consolation to this ugly election, it is the fact that he now faces the universal scorn he so richly deserves.

If Trump loses this election, as now seems inevitable, he warns that he may claim the election was rigged. You have to wonder: Will the last of his Republican supporters defect, even then?

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.