Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, who earned the moniker “Joe the Plumber” during former President Barack Obama’s first White House campaign, died on Sunday.
Wurzelbacher’s death was confirmed by his son to the Associated Press, sharing that he died after a long bout with pancreatic cancer.
Leading up to the 2020 election, Wurzelbacher was thrust into the spotlight when he shared his concerns about facing higher taxes if he opened his own plumbing business.
Wurzelbacher shared his concerns with a Senator from Illinois, who would later become President.
Obama responded to Wurzelbacher’s concerns, saying he wanted to “spread the wealth around.”
The interaction between the two men was televised nationwide and quickly became a top moment in the months leading up to the 2008 election, especially for the former President’s rival, Sen. John McCain (AZ).
McCain used the interaction between Wurzelbacher and Obama to coin the name “Joe the Plumber,” which he used to appeal to the struggles of the working man.
During one of his final campaign stops, Wurzelbacher even joined McCain as Joe the Plumber was embraced by conservative voters and media figures.
After the 2008 election, Wurzelbacher had a failed attempt at running for Congress, losing in a landslide in a Democratic-leaning district in 2012.
He wrote a book and worked with veterans organizations that helped wounded soldiers, according to the AP.
“The only thing I have to say is that he was a true patriot,” Joey Wurzelbacher, his son, shared with the AP. “His big thing is that everyone come to God. That’s what he taught me, and that’s a message I hope is heard by a lot of people.”
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