Is it too late to dump Trump? Could Pence replace him on the ticket? What happens if he quits himself? The key questions in the fallout of The Donald's crass remarks 

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As a rift breaks out in the Republican party over Donald Trump's latest controversy, many in the GOP are wondering if it's too late to change the party's nominee.

After lewd comments from 2005 surface on Friday, the GOP is tearing itself apart as its leaders suggest Trump quit the race. 

While many have suggested running mate Mike Pence top the ticket, the right has essentially run out of time to dump Trump.  

Donald Trump apologized for the lewd comments he said in 2005 that were released on Friday, but many Republicans want to replace him 

Because more than 34,000 Republican voters have already cast their ballots, the right has run out of time to dump Trump

Is there anything the Republicans can do to oust Trump?

Not unless Trump bows out himself. 

Trump has said repeatedly on Saturday he has no plans to quit the race and told the Wall Street Journal there's 'zero chance' he'll quit. 

Trump told the Wall Street Journal that there is 'zero chance' he'll quit the race for the White House

He also tweeted on Saturday saying: 'The media and establishment want me out of the race so badly - I WILL NEVER DROP OUT OF THE RACE, WILL NEVER LET MY SUPPORTERS DOWN! #MAGA.' 

Because of 'Rule 9' the Republicans can't just decided they no longer want Trump to represent them. 

What is Rule 9? 

The party's 'Rule 9' allows the RNC to fill vacancies but it doesn't allow the GOP to push a nominee out of the position. 

Rule 9 reads: 'The Republican National Committee is hereby authorized and empowered to fill any and all vacancies which may occur by reason of death, declination, or otherwise of the Republican candidate for President of the United States or the Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States, as nominated by the national convention, or the Republican National Committee may reconvene the national convention for the purpose of filling any such vacancies.'

After lewd comments made by Trump in 2005 surface on Friday, the GOP is tearing itself apart as its leaders suggest Trump quit the race

If the party was willing to take the risk, it could amend the rules and create a loophole to oust Trump.

However, that would require a majority of the party's Rules Committee and two-thirds of the entire party to agree and the process would be slow going, according to the Washington Post. 

The process would take too long with only 31 days left before the election.  

As a model for the presidential race, most of the smaller elections where a candidate has been replaced at the last minute have been unsuccessful.

If they were successful, could another name go on the ballot? 

In some states, yes. 

But not in key battleground states like North Carolina and Florida where early voting has already begun and the ballots have already been printed.

More than 34,000 Republican voters have already cast their ballots. 

About 8,000 votes have been cast in North Carolina, a contentious battleground state, according to the Washington Post. 

In swing state Florida, 5,000 votes have already been cast.  

It's unclear how many of those votes were for Trump, but it is safe to assume a decent portion have marked the Trump/Pence ticket. 

Although the Trump isn't backing out, his campaign is rallying to bounce back from this latest controversy 

So what would happen to those votes if Trump does bow out?   

Because the deadline to print ballots in many key states like Florida and North Carolina has passed, it's impossible to change the way they currently read. 

Since it's too late to get Trump off the ballot, if he were to drop out and be replaced, voters would have to go into the voting booth with the understanding a vote for Trump is a vote for someone else. 

When a voter entered the booth, they would have to understand a vote for Trump is really a vote for 'person X' and experts say that poses a serious challenge for getting to 270 electoral votes. 

The Washington Post says this is because some votes, cast before he bowed out, would inevitably be bound to Trump. 

And if Trump does bow out, who would go on the ballot? 

Mike Pence has been the main name thrown around by Republicans but there are several scenarios possible. 

For candidates who have died in smaller races, a back up candidate has been announced and put into place. 

When then-Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash, the state allowed former vice president Walter Mondale to run in his place. 

Top Republicans who once threw their support behind Trump have withdrawn their backing since the comments were made public

However, absentee votes for Wellstone were not added to Mondale's total and that seat was lost to the Republicans, the Post reported. 

Another case saw Democrats making a legal case and getting new ballots printed after their Senate candidate in New Jersey dropped out of the race.    

With 34 days to go, new ballots were printed for a new candidate. 

It's possible that the Republicans could take legal action to get new ballots if Trump quits, but the issue remains that votes have already been cast.

In the other scenarios, they hadn't. 

Could Mike Pence win if he became the presidential nominee?

A new poll shows that if Mike Pence were to become the nominee, it's unlikely he would be able to beat Hillary Clinton

It still would be an uphill battle. 

A new poll shows that if Mike Pence were to become the nominee, it's unlikely he would be able to beat Hillary Clinton, according to the Post.  

Twice in history - in 1912 and 1968 - a vice presidential candidate replaced the presidential candidate at the last minute, but neither time that person won.