Kay Hagan targeted for flip-flop on Ebola

Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan issued a statement on Friday calling for a travel ban on West African countries affected by Ebola and a larger coordinated effort to deal with the ongoing outbreak — and the N.C. Republican Party is accusing her of flip-flopping on the issue.

“I am calling on the Administration to temporarily ban the travel of non-U.S. citizens from the affected countries in West Africa,” said Hagan in the statement.

Her announcement came 10 days after the second U.S. Senate debate between Hagan and speaker Thom Tillis. Though Hagan did not dismiss a travel ban during the debate, she prioritized the need for coordinated treatment and containment and criticized Tillis’ plan, which proposed a comprehensive travel ban.

“I am open to it in a broad range,” Hagan said in the debate. “The problem is, if you isolate those countries, you’re not going to solve the problem.”

Hagan joins a number of other politicians who have recently shown support for a travel ban from West African countries. Tillis declared support for the ban on Oct. 2 and was the first U.S. Senate candidate nationwide to do so, said Tillis’ campaign spokeswoman Meghan Burris in an email.

The N.C. GOP has accused Hagan of flip-flopping on the issue and being confused of her own position.

“If she always supported it, why did she call it a ‘scare tactic?’” said Will Allison, the party’s spokesman, in a statement. “Why did her campaign issue a press release announcing her ‘new’ position on Friday?”

Kathryn Walker, president of UNC College Republicans, said Hagan’s delayed reaction is an example of her failure to stand up for North Carolinians.

“We need a senator who will do what is best for North Carolina, and Thom Tillis is that person,” she said.

In her statement supporting the travel ban, Hagan said she wants the Obama Administration to take action immediately.

“I have said for weeks that travel restrictions should be one part of a broad strategy to prevent Ebola from spreading in the U.S. and fighting it in Africa,” Hagan said.

Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first case of Ebola in the United States on Sept. 30, two more cases have been diagnosed on U.S. soil. The first person who tested positive, Thomas Eric Duncan, died on Oct. 8, and two health care workers who had treated him were also diagnosed. The global death toll has risen to approximately 4,600 as of Wednesday night.

Andrew Brennen, a member of the UNC Young Democrats cabinet, said Hagan’s evolving position makes sense because it should be developing along with the Ebola crisis.

“For her to remain stagnant or for her not to change her position as things change on the landscape of the issue would be probably irresponsible,” he said.

Around a dozen UNC students surveyed in the Undergraduate Library and the Pit all agreed that neither Hagan’s statements on Ebola nor the issue in general would sway their votes.

Gary Pearce, a blogger and Democratic consultant, said in an email that he does not think Hagan’s positions on Ebola will affect her campaign.

“Intelligent people change their minds when the facts change.”

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