Joe The Plumber, who confronted Obama on 2008 campaign trail, dies at 49

Joe The Plumber, the man who confronted then-candidate Barack Obama during the campaign in 2008, has died at the age of 49.

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher became an important part of Republican candidate John McCain’s campaign after the confrontation with Mr Obama attracted national media attention.

His wife Katie Wurzelbacher told Fox News Digital in an email on Monday that Mr Wurzelbacher had passed away on Sunday.

In July, Mr Wurzelbacher announced that he had pancreatic cancer.

“Our hearts are broken. We lost a beloved husband, father, son, brother and friend. He made an impact on so many lives,” Ms Wurzelbacher wrote to Fox.

“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,’” she added. “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.”

More follows...