I had several former coworkers send me this job posting saying it was written just for me. This was the first position I applied for after getting laid off nine months pregnant, so I was very selective and thoughtful in which jobs I would go back for. The initial screening, take-home project, and panel interviews all went very well and had fair, interesting questions. I was told I was the last remaining candidate and that I had nailed the technical interview, so it was a culture fit at that point. The final interview also went very well, so I was surprised when I got a copy-and-paste email saying they were going to go with a more qualified candidate. I reached back out for any sort of feedback since I had been told I was the final candidate, but did not get a response. They never reached out to my references, which I feel would have given them a much more complete picture of who I am as a person and employee.
It seems that this organization values someone who wears their politics on their sleeves above someone whose skills and passions are best for the job.