In 2009, Arizona Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick walked out on angry constituents after they were denied an opportunity to discuss Obamacare. She did not want to listen.
Much to the surprise of the constituents she walked out on in 2009, this week, Kirkpatrick wants them to know that she does listen. The House Majority PAC has released an ad entitled “Ann Kirkpatrick – Listens.”
In 2010, she lost her seat when she was handily beaten by Paul Gosar, in part for his opposition to Obamacare.
At the time of the Obamacare vote, Kirkpatrick’s support was considered “a boost for President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.),” who were trying to corral 216 votes to clear the legislation through the lower chamber.
After the 2010 redistricting, Gosar was re-elected in the newly formed Congressional District and Kirkpatrick ran again and narrowly defeated the hapless and hopeless Republican challenger, former Arizona State Representative Jonathan Paton. Many said the fact that the race was close was more of a testament to Paton’s unelectablity than Kirkpatrick’s popularity.
The latest ads by Kirkpatrick have residents of Northern Arizona scratching their heads. Not only has she not listened to them but just last month, she told constituents that the rollout showed “stunning ineptitude.” Despite the fact that she said “the Affordable Care Act is not perfect,” she was determined to keep it in place.
In November, Kirkpatrick said she merely wanted a one-year extension for small businesses and individuals to comply with ACA requirements. She voted against the Upton bill.
In December, she told constituents, “The problems during the rollout of healthcare.gov were unacceptable,” Kirkpatrick said. “My bill offers a common-sense fix to ensure that people in Arizona’s District One and across the country aren’t penalized for a faulty website. We need to make sure that folks who sought to enroll are covered.”
Kirkpatrick’s bill, H.R. 3745, would have required enrollees to pay their retroactive premiums and any applicable cost-sharing fees. “I’ll keep fighting to make sure that the Affordable Care Act is working for Arizona families,” said Kirkpatrick in December.
The new “Listen” ad spins Kirkpatrick’s statements as evidence that she is now an opponent to the unpopular bill she fought to pass.
Her most likely opponent in the General Election will be current Speaker of the House Andy Tobin. Tobin has racked up the endorsements of the most popular sheriffs in Arizona including Graham County Sheriff P.J. Allred, Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan, former Coconino County Sheriff Joe Richards, Yavapai County Sheriff Scott Mascher and Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu.
Tobin has received the endorsements of six mayors: Bill Diak of Page, Charlie German of Camp Verde, Chris Gibb of Safford, George Lemen of Pima, John Moore of Williams and Bob Rivera of Thatcher. Kirkpatrick has the endorsement of one former and four current mayors: Rob Adams of Sedona, Sam Hosler of Kearny, Bob Jackson of Casa Grande, Tom Rankin of Florence, and former Page Mayor William Justice.
The House Majority PAC bought $200,000 worth of ad time in Phoenix and Tucson.
The Arizona Republican Party has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission against a pro-Ann Kirkpatrick ad currently running on television in Arizona. The complaint argues that the television ad violates federal laws that prohibit coordination between candidates and Super PACs.
The complain asks the FEC to immediately begin an investigation into the ad.
The ad, which is running on Phoenix television, is paid for by House Majority PAC, a Democrat Super PAC that supports Democrat Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick. It includes footage produced and posted on the internet that had been created and paid for by the Kirkpatrick campaign. Under FEC laws, this makes the ad an illegal in-kind contribution, by the PAC, to the Kirkpatrick campaign because it uses property owned by the Kirkpatrick campaign.