Joe The Plumber Gets Cuyahoga County GOP Endorsement For Ohio Congressional Bid

Early voting in Ohio's primary election began Tuesday with news that Joseph Wurzelbacher, also known as Joe the Plumber, had received an endorsement in his congressional race from his county's Republican Party.

According to the Plain Dealer, Cuyahoga County's Republican Party announced Tuesday that it would support Joe over his primary opponent, local auctioneer Steven Kraus.

Wurzelbacher was dubbed Joe the Plumber during the 2008 presidential campaign when he asked Barack Obama a question about taxes. He was later propped up by the McCain-Palin camp as a symbol for middle-class Americans.

"I am thrilled to have such strong support from the Cuyahoga GOP," Wurzelbacher said in a press release. "Unlike the Democrats, our party will be leaving the primary united and prepared to win in November."

If he wins his primary contest on March 6, Wurzelbacher will face a difficult challenge. The seat he is vying for lies in one of Ohio's newly redrawn districts, which is heavily Democratic. It stretches along Lake Erie between Cleveland and Toledo and combines nearly equal parts of two districts currently held by Democratic Reps. Marcy Kaptur and Dennis Kucinich.

The redistricting process has forced the two senior congressional members to compete in a Democratic primary to be the party's nominee.