By
C-SPAN
Ebola suddenly a big issue in Senate contests in Iowa and other states.
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - As worries about Ebola spread across the nation, politicians engaged in close elections are trying to pin the blame on the opposite party even as they largely agree on what steps to take.
In a Senate debate in Iowa on Thursday, for example, the Democratic and Republican candidates both urged tighter screening of travelers from West Africa and said they would consider a temporary travel ban. That's where the agreement ended.
Joni Ernst, the Republican nominee, blasted the White House for what she called a tardy response to emergence of several Ebola cases in Texas. And she said her Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, shared in the blame.
''Unfortunately our administration, including Congressman Braley, has been very reactive instead of very proactive,' Ernst said.
Braley fired back that the Republican-controlled House was slow to call hearings on Ebola. He also accused Ernst of supporting a federal shutdown in 2013 that would have made it harder for the government to respond to the Ebola threat.
'So you can't say you support those things when the policies you're promoting would have made it more difficult for us to address these problems,' he said.
In a nod to voters, Braley also pointed out that one of the companies creating vaccines for Ebola is NewLink Genetics from Ames, Iowa.
The sudden emergence of Ebola as a campaign issue could an already volatile election season even more unpredictable. The issue has put Democrats on the defense at a time when many candidates in key Senate races, including Braley, trail their Republican rivals.
The impact on the elections is likely to be limited if no more Ebola cases emerge and the fears of the threat recede. But another lapse in government oversight would probably give Republicans even more momentum in their bid to recapture control of the U.S. Senate.
More news on the Ebola outbreak
Posted by Unknown on Friday, October 17, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
0 comments "Ebola becomes wild card in U.S. elections"
Post a Comment