‘Joe The Plumber,’ Who Rose To Fame After Confronting Barack Obama On The 2008 Campaign Trail, Dead At 49

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, known for his question to Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign that projected him into the national spotlight, passed away on Sunday due to a battle with pancreatic cancer, his wife said. Wurzelbacher was 49 years old.

Following his confrontation with then-candidate Obama about tax policies and their potential impact on small businesses, Wurzelbacher earned the moniker “Joe the Plumber.” He became a symbol of the everyday American. The Republican party capitalized on his relatable persona during their presidential campaign that year.

In the preceding year, Wurzelbacher had received a Stage 3 pancreatic cancer diagnosis after experiencing stomach issues over a period of several months, as detailed in an online fundraising campaign.

“[He] fought long and hard, but is now free from pain,” his wife, Katie said. “When I met Joe he was already known by everyone else as ‘Joe the Plumber’ but he wrote something to me that stood out and showed me who he truly was: ‘just Joe.’ He was an average, honorable man trying to do great things for the country he loved so deeply after being thrust into the public eye for asking a question.”

Wurzelbacher leaves behind his wife and four children.

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