He won applause at the event on Saturday when he said it was “unbelievable” that a “grown woman would come forward” about 40 years after she said the overtures took place, and this close to the election to fill the seat Attorney General Jeff Sessions held until this year. And Mr. Moore, twice effectively removed as the state’s ranking jurist, noted that he had long been among the most scrutinized politicians in Alabama.

“I’ve been investigated more than any other person in this country,” he said.

Although many of Mr. Moore’s supporters in Alabama share his fury and have expressed it in far harsher tones, Republicans have been abandoning Mr. Moore since The Post published its article, which included allegations of sexual advances from three other women.

Beyond their public condemnations of Mr. Moore, some Republicans have been searching for ways to short-circuit his candidacy. Some had favored pressing Ms. Ivey to move the Dec. 12 special election. But on Saturday, her office abruptly cut off discussion about the idea.

“Governor Ivey is not considering and has no plans to move the special election for U.S. Senate,” a spokesman, Daniel Sparkman, said in an email. This week, Ms. Ivey said that the allegations were “deeply disturbing” and that “the people of Alabama deserve to know the truth and will make their own decisions.”

Although Ms. Ivey’s decision was something of a relief for Mr. Moore, other Republicans criticized or cut ties with him on Twitter on Saturday. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee was unsparing: “Look, I’m sorry, but even before these reports surfaced, Roy Moore’s nomination was a bridge too far.” Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana withdrew his support, he said, “based on the allegations against Roy Moore, his response, and what is known.”