Joe The Plumber Likely To Win Republican Nomination In Ohio

Joe the Plumber is back, possibly as a congressman.

America's most famous (former) plumber, whose real name is Joe Wurzelbacher, is running on Tuesday against local auctioneer Steve Kraus for the Republican nomination in Ohio's newly created 9th Congressional District.

Wurzelbacher became an overnight star during the 2008 presidential campaign after he asked Barack Obama a question about taxes. Republicans nicknamed him Joe the Plumber, and the McCain-Palin camp propped him up as a symbol of middle-class Americans.

Wurzelbacher told the Toledo Blade that he's spent the last two months going around knocking on doors to show that he's not "a mean old Republican."

"Not all Republicans are rich, dress in three-piece suits, and have $200 haircuts. I'm somebody who's lived from paycheck to paycheck. I'm focusing on my blue-collar roots -- I've worked side by side with union people," Wurzelbacher said.

Wurzelbacher seems to be his party's favorite, according to the Plain Dealer. His name recognition has helped him against Kraus, who is considered a political unknown.

In January, Wurzelbacher also picked up the endorsement of his home county's Republican Party.

Even former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain came to Ohio in February to campaign with Wurzelbacher, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

If he wins his primary contest on Super Tuesday, 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. Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) are facing each other for the Democratic nod.