Joe the Plumber, who questioned Obama’s tax proposals during the 2008 campaign, has died at 49

Republican vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, left, is joined by Joe Wurzelbacher, also known as “Joe the Plumber,” right, at a rally at Bowling Green University in Ohio in October 2008. Wurzelbacher parlayed his fame into a run for Congress and wrote a book. (Associated Press)

TOLEDO, Ohio — Samuel “Joe” Wurzelbacher, who was thrust into the political spotlight as “Joe the Plumber” after questioning Barack Obama about his economic proposals during the 2008 presidential campaign, and who later forayed into politics himself, has died, his son said Monday. He was 49.

His oldest son, Joey Wurzelbacher, said his father died Sunday in Wisconsin after a long illness. His family announced this year on an online fundraising site that he had pancreatic cancer.