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On Thursday, candidate for Missouri Auditor, Allen Icet, was joined in Springfield by a man made famous during the 2008 presidential election when he posed a question about small businesses to then-candidate Barack Obama: Samuel Joe Wurzelbacher of Ohio became known almost overnight as “Joe the Plumber.” Since then, he’s become an icon-of-sorts for conservative, grassroots politics. KSMU’s Jennifer Moore spoke to Wurzelbacher by phone.
In speaking with KSMU, Wurzelbacher said he and Icet met through mutual friends. He said after “vetting” Icet, he decided to endorse him.
“He’s not going to be beholden to special interests or to the Republican Party. He’s going to do what’s right,” Wurzelbacher said.
He added that he believes Americans should educate themselves about the issues at hand, and that he pushes the ideas of individual responsibility, and holding elected officials accountable.
Wurzelbacher said he has become very involved in the Tea Party movement, which is a movement with strong anti-Washington, and anti-incumbent sentiments.
“They [elected officials in Washington] spend money then try to cram social issues down our throats, when that should go back to the states. The states should have a say on what they want, and not the federal government,” he said.
Joe the Plumber spoke at a campaign rally for Missouri State Auditor candidate Allen Icet at the Ramada Oasis Inn in Springfield Thursday evening.
Allen Icet’s opponent, Tom Schweich, has accused Icet of paying thousands of dollars for “Joe the Plumber’s” endorsement. A campaign spokesman for Icet told KSMU that Representative Icet’s campaign is not paying a penny for the actual endorsement, but is compensating Mr. Wurzelbacher for his time and travel. That same spokesman would not say how much.
