The Great Ebola Panic hit America a year ago this October, right before the 2014 midterm elections. President Obama’s poll ratings plunged, and races that had been within Democrats’ reach – including the U.S. Senate and legislative races in North Carolina – shifted to Republicans.

This year, the Paris terrorist attacks remind us how dangerously unpredictable the world is. And how quickly and dramatically the political landscape can change.

So now every Republican candidate for President and every Republican governor is scrambling to be tough on hapless refugees fleeing terrorists.

(Wonder why? A national poll done before Paris found that 73 percent of white evangelical Protestants, a core Republican base, agree with this statement: “The values of Islam are at odds with American values and way of life.”)

Americans have short attention spans, and Paris is over there, so memories will fade and other events will seize the stage. But terrorism is a fundamental security issue. Whether it stays out front or just under the surface, it will shape the 2016 elections.

For Democrats, it assures the nomination of Hillary Clinton. With the constant caveat you hear, even from Clinton supporters: “Unless something….”

For Republicans, it helps Donald Trump. Early on, Trump captured the franchise on Tough, Strong and Anti-Immigrant. His only real rival now is Ted Cruz. Terror trumps (so to speak) Ben Carson and Marco Rubio; Rubio looks too young and callow to take on ISIS, and Carson can’t tell ISIS from an iris. And poor Jeb Bush? He’s like a 1990s bag phone competing with iPhones.

Which leaves Rubio as Trump’s running mate. Because Florida. Which means Hillary has to win North Carolina.

Which means North Carolina decides whether Trump or Hillary is elected President.

If terrorism doesn’t scare you, that will.