Fueled by rage and a surge of women naming those they say sexually harassed or assaulted them, the #MeToo movement has brought the swift downfall of many powerful federal officials over the past year. Among those dispatched: One senator, eight House members and three congressional candidates. One federal judge. Two White House aides. A few others have survived, most prominently President Trump, who has been accused by at least 19 women of sexual misconduct and abuse over decades. Almost all those accused have denied the allegations.

Now a new and prominent name has joined the list of accused: Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh. A California psychologist alleges that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when both of them were teens, a classmate of Kavanaugh’s at Yale alleges he exposed himself to her at a party freshman year, and a Washington, D.C., woman alleges that Kavanaugh was physically abusive to girls and was present at a house party where she says she was raped by more than one boy. He has denied all of the accusations. Their accounts are throwing a confirmation that seemed secure into chaos several weeks before the midterm elections — and testing how well those who wield power in Washington understand what has changed.