October 16, 2014 5:44 PM

Notes from the campaign trail - Ebola Edition

The local politics of Ebola, Battleground Texas to launch its last GOTV effort this cycle, and Perry’s federal account focuses spending in Iowa

While the Ebola scare in North Texas dominates the news landscape in a way that edges out almost every other story, there are a few political items worth passing along to you on this Thursday afternoon.

The first is actually about Ebola.

Dallas County Commissioners are trying to figure out the best approach going forward and on Thursday they decided not to declare a disaster, even though County Judge Clay Jenkins can declare one on his own later if necessary.

Jenkins, a Democrat who is up for reelection next month, was quoted in the Dallas Morning News as saying “There hasn’t been a need to use extraordinary powers or put people under some sort of special law.”

Jenkins’ handling of this crisis is naturally under close scrutiny in his reelection bid after his polarizing decision earlier this year to extend an invitation to immigrant children who had been flooding across the border during the summer. The invitation ultimately was decided to be unnecessary. Some, especially national commentators, saw Jenkins’ invitation as a rare act of compassion but many at home – particularly some leaders in African-American neighborhoods in Dallas County, were not fans of the idea.

The way local leaders (or any leaders really) handle these crises can be pivotal in their reelection efforts.

By Scott Braddock