FACT CHECK: Republican Congressional Committee attack ad on Ann Kirkpatrick

PHOENIX, AZ - The National Republican Congressional Committee is spending nearly a million dollars on airtime for an attack ad here in Arizona leading up to the November election.

Their focus is Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick , a candidate for Congress in Arizona's first district.

The ad's first claim is that Kirkpatrick helped pass 'ObamaCare'.

ABC15 determined that claim to be a FACT.

During her last term in Congress, Kirkpatrick did vote for the Affordable Care Act.

The ad next alleges Kirkpatrick's vote in favor of the Affordable Care Act could destroy 249,000 jobs.

ABC15 determined that allegation is MOSTLY FICTION.

The NRCC cites a study from the National Federation of Independent Businesses that President Obama's health care plan could cost the United States anywhere from 125,000 to 249,000 jobs.

But the independent, impartial website FactCheck.org writes "claims about the health care law killing jobs are overblown."

Factcheck.org cites the potential for job increases in the health and insurance industries which they say means the Affordable Care Act would likely only result in a "small net job loss."

The ad's final claim is that the Affordable Care Act, and Kirkpatrick's vote by extension, will raise taxes by $2,000 for some families.

ABC15 determined that claim to be MISLEADING.

It's true that some will pay more taxes because of the Affordable Care Act but the ad says those increases will impact the middle class.

According to FactCheck.org, the tax increase only kicks in for individuals who earn $200,000 or more and families earning $250,000 or more. Those salaries are not representative of people in the middle class.

The ad concludes by the narrator stating "The better choice? Jonathan Paton . Combat veteran, fiscal conservative. He'll vote to repeal Obamacare, lower taxes and help create jobs."

The Kirkpatrick campaign released a statement to ABC15 that reads:

This attack is pure nonsense. Ann Kirkpatrick has a strong record of putting our district first. In 2010, Ann was even named as one of the ‘Top 10 most rebellious members of Congress’ because of her willingness to break from her party when she believed it was right for our district. But we expect national Republicans to keep distorting Ann's record as they prop up payday-loan lobbyist Jonathan Paton.