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Joseph Wurzelbacher, a.k.a. Joe the Plumber, the man who sparred with then-candidate Barack Obama during the 2008 campaign, is running for U.S. Congress.

Plumber filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to run for Congress in Ohio’s Ninth District, and will soon launch an official “Joe for Congress 2012” site.

The Toledo Blade reported in August that Ohio Republicans were encouraging him to run, and Joe said he was open to the idea. Looks like that report was accurate.

Elizabeth Warren for President
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Obama’s opponent, Sen. John McCain, tried to use Joe as a poster boy of sorts for the type of working American he claimed would be hurt by Democratic policies.

It didn’t work, obviously, but Joe left his mark on Ohio politics.

“Maybe we need some regular guys in there,” he said this August. “That’s what I’ve been doing the past two and a half years, encouraging regular Americans to run.”

The conservative small business owner adds, “Tell the liberal media to go to hell and I don’t care what you guys say about me, I’m going to try to fix this country.”

In addition to speaking at tea party rallies and conservative conferences in recent years, he most recently helped start an organization to help wounded veterans.

He’s got his hands full if he expects to win in 2012 in any case. Democratic incumbent Rep. Marcia Kaptur has been elected 15 straight times, none of them close.