TOLEDO, Ohio (NEWSnet/AP) — Samuel “Joe” Wurzelbacher, who was thrust into the political spotlight as “Joe the Plumber” when questioning Barack Obama about tax policies during the 2008 presidential campaign, 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.

“The only thing I have to say is that he was a true patriot,” Joey Wurzelbacher — whose father had the middle name Joseph and went by Joe — said in a telephone interview. “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.”

He went from working as a plumber in suburban Toledo, Ohio, to life as a media sensation when he asked Obama about his tax plan during a campaign stop.

Their exchange and Obama’s response aired often on cable news. Days later, Obama's Republican opponent, U.S. Sen. John McCain, repeatedly cited “Joe the Plumber” in a presidential debate.

Wurzelbacher went on to campaign with McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin.

His sudden fame turned him into a sought-after voice for many anti-establishment conservatives, and he traveled the country speaking at rallies and gatherings. He also wrote a book and worked with a veterans organization that provided outdoor programs for wounded soldiers.

In 2012, he made a bid as a Republican for a U.S. House seat in Ohio, but lost to Democrat Marcy Kaptur in a district heavily tilted toward Democrats.

Wurzelbacher returned to working as a plumber after he gave up on politics, his family said.

Funeral arrangements were pending. Survivors include his wife, Katie, and four children.

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