Spin Check: Perry's Right Track

What is Spin Check? As part of our coverage of Decision 2010 and the elections that affect Texas, we put political ads to the test.

It's campaign season when candidates talk about jobs, jobs and jobs.

Gov. Rick Perry's latest ad is called "Right Track," and Perry highlights his track record of job growth. Let's spin check it.

Here's the text of the ad:

"Texas is on the right path.
As your Governor, job creation is my top priority.
Since I took office, Texas has added more than 850,000 new jobs.
In fact, since 2005, 80 percent of the new private sector jobs in America were created right here in Texas.
Texas is on the right track. Low taxes, balanced budget, strong public schools make Texas the number one state for job creation.
Securing our future.
Governor Rick Perry.'

Perry's claim that "Texas has added more than 850,000 new jobs" since he took office is FALSE -- because Perry's campaign isn't using the latest numbers.

His campaign used Bureau of Labor Statistic numbers from January 2001 to June 2010. The June 2010 numbers show that 10.396 million Texans were employed. But the August 2010 numbers show a dip down to 10.356 million. Perry's campaign could claim it didn't have the latest number at the time the ad was made, but in other parts of the ad, it uses August 2010 numbers.

Perry's claim that "80 percent of the new private sector jobs" created in America since 2005 are in Texas is TRUE, if you add up the government numbers.

Perry also tries to take credit for Texas' balanced budget in the ad.

While he touts the accomplishment, it's worth noting that Perry doesn't have a choice in balancing the budget. A state law requires the budget to be balanced.

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