‘Weinstein effect’ tipped Alabama vote

Tuesday’s special election in Alabama was not a referendum on President Donald Trump, the Republicans or the Democrats, but a decision by that state’s voters to elect a senator who will represent their interests with a minimum of sexual controversy.

It was also the first prominent U.S. election in the post-Harvey Weinstein era in which individuals seeking public office are judged on their moral character as it relates to their conduct with women.

Political drama has always followed Republican candidate Roy Moore, but when allegations of sexual improprieties surfaced in November — based on events said to have occurred 40 years ago when Moore was in his 30s — the former judge couldn’t overcome the uncomfortable questions being raised, even as he maintained his innocence.

The Weinstein effect dogged Moore in the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s vote, and his position on issues that have traditionally appealed to conservatives — in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate in 25 years — couldn’t be heard over the lingering doubts raised by the allegations.

Moore had few friends within the Republican hierarchy. Richard Shelby, who is Alabama’s senior senator, told CNN last week “the state of Alabama deserves better.”

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, had called on Moore to step down from the campaign, even as the party’s fundraising apparatus withdrew its support.

Moore’s only political friend appeared to be President Donald Trump. But Moore wasn’t Trump’s first choice, either. Alabama’s special election was called when Senator Jeff Sessions was appointed attorney general earlier this year, and Trump originally backed someone else. But Moore surprised everyone when he won the Republican primary.

Moore did get strong support on Tuesday from certain constituencies, but allegations of sexual improprieties — including a charge that he molested a 14-year-old girl in the late 1970s — rattled Alabama’s electorate.

That wouldn’t have happened six months ago, before Hollywood mogul Weinstein was revealed as using his power to sexually pursue women. Since then a parade of powerful American men have been removed from positions of public influence because of similar accounts. Moore is just the latest.

Shelby called the allegations a tipping point.

“There’s a time we call a tipping point,” he told CNN. “When it got to the 14-year-old story, I said that was enough for me, I couldn’t vote for Roy Moore.”

— Peter Epp