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Ebola Outrage: Scott Brown Keeping Outbreak a Campaign Issue

When it comes to making Ebola a political issue, one candidate stands out among the rest.
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U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., right, and former Massachusetts Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown arrive on set Thursday Oct. 23, 2014 before a live televised U.S. Senate debate hosted by NH1 News on WBIN TV in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)Jim Cole / AP

When it comes to making Ebola a political issue, one candidate stands out among the rest.

Republican Scott Brown has made the disease a go-to talking point in his bid to unseat New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. On Friday, his campaign blasted out a press release warning: “Ebola has now spread to New York City, the largest city in the United States and less than 300 miles from New Hampshire.”

Despite the threat, Shaheen is still "waffling on a travel ban," the release says.

Shaheen has accused Brown of “fear mongering” by repeatedly bringing up Ebola on the campaign trail. While both candidates say it is a serious threat, Shaheen says her opponent is exploiting the outbreak to score political points.

Brown also raised eyebrows by saying Americans “would not be worrying about Ebola right now” had Republican Mitt Romney been elected president. The former Massachusetts senator clarified his comments during a debate on Thursday.

"Had [Romney] been president, I feel he would have had a clear and concise plan. He would have reassured the American people," Brown said.

IN-DEPTH

-- Andrew Rafferty