Joe the Plumber facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel Wurzelbacher
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Wurzelbacher in 2008
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| Born |
Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher
December 3, 1973 |
| Died | August 27, 2023 (aged 49) |
| Other names | "Joe the Plumber" |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Occupation | Commentator Former plumber's assistant |
| Political party | Republican (2012–2023) |
Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher (born December 3, 1973 – died August 27, 2023) was an American conservative activist. He was widely known as "Joe the Plumber". He became famous during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign. This happened when he asked Barack Obama, who was running for president, about his tax plans. Wurzelbacher was worried that Obama's plans would make taxes higher for small business owners. He was a member of the Republican Party.
Because he told Senator Obama he wanted to buy a small plumbing business, the campaign for McCain and Palin started calling him "Joe the Plumber." They asked him to appear at several events. McCain often talked about "Joe the Plumber" in his speeches. He used him as an example of everyday middle-class Americans.
After the election, Wurzelbacher became a well-known conservative activist. He also worked as a commentator, author, and motivational speaker. In 2012, he ran for a seat in the House of Representatives in Ohio. He ran as a Republican but lost the election to Marcy Kaptur.
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Early Life and Career
Samuel Wurzelbacher was born in Toledo, Ohio. His parents were Kay and Frank Wurzelbacher. When he was young, his family moved to Florida. They later moved back to Toledo when he was in high school.
After high school, Wurzelbacher joined the United States Air Force. He chose to train as a plumber, which the Air Force called a Utility Systems Specialist. He was stationed in Alaska and North Dakota. Wurzelbacher left the Air Force in 1996. He then worked as a plumber's assistant. Later, he worked for a phone company called Global Crossing.
Becoming "Joe the Plumber"
Meeting Barack Obama
On October 12, 2008, Barack Obama was campaigning in Toledo, Ohio. This was just before a big presidential debate. Wurzelbacher watched Obama talk to people in the neighborhood. He went through the crowd to ask Obama about his tax plan. Wurzelbacher felt that Obama's plan might not help "the American dream."
He asked Obama, "I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes 250 to 280 thousand dollars a year. Your new tax plan's going to tax me more, isn't it?"
Obama explained how his tax plan would affect a small business like that. He said that small businesses would get a tax cut for health care costs. He also said that for income above $250,000, the tax rate would go up slightly. Obama added that he wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to succeed. He believed that if the economy was good for everyone, it would be good for businesses too. He said that if more customers could afford to hire a plumber, it would help the plumbing business.
Mentioned in the Debate
During the final presidential debate on October 15, 2008, "Joe the Plumber" was mentioned many times. Both John McCain and Barack Obama talked about him. They used him as an example in their discussions about the economy and taxes. Because of this, many news outlets started paying attention to Wurzelbacher.
After the debate, Wurzelbacher did not say who he would vote for. He worried that Obama's plans were "one step closer to socialism." Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, said that most small businesses would not pay higher taxes under Obama's plan. McCain, however, said that Wurzelbacher would face higher taxes.
After the Election
In November 2008, Wurzelbacher started working on commercials. These ads reminded people to switch from analog to digital television. He helped explain this change to consumers.
Also in November 2008, Wurzelbacher began promoting his book. It was called Joe the Plumber: Fighting for the American Dream. The book shared his ideas about American values. He also became a war correspondent for a media group. His first job was visiting Israel during a conflict there. He reported on what Israelis were experiencing.
In 2016, Wurzelbacher voted for Donald Trump in the presidential election.
Running for Congress
A Campaign Idea
After his meeting with Barack Obama, some people wanted Wurzelbacher to run for the United States House of Representatives. They created a website to encourage him to run in the 2010 election. News reports said they wanted him to run against Representative Marcy Kaptur in Ohio. Wurzelbacher said he had thought about it and would be "up for it."
His Campaign
On October 7, 2011, Wurzelbacher officially filed to run for Congress. He wanted to challenge Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur in the 2012 election for Ohio's 9th congressional district.
In the primary election on March 6, 2012, Wurzelbacher won the Republican nomination. He then ran against Marcy Kaptur in the main election in November 2012. Kaptur was expected to win easily, and she did. She received over 70% of the votes.
His Final Years
In 2022, Samuel Wurzelbacher was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He passed away on August 27, 2023, at the age of 49. He was survived by his wife, Katie, and their four children.
Images for kids
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Joe the Plumber with John McCain.
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Joe Wurzelbacher at a conference in Washington, D.C. in 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Joe el fontanero para niños
- Tito the Builder
- Ken Bone
