'Joe the Plumber' says 'start shooting' on border

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) -- An Ohio plumber thrust into national politics during the 2008 presidential campaign says the United States needs to build a fence at the Mexico border and "start shooting" at suspected illegal immigrants.

Samuel Wurzelbacher made the comment during a Friday night fundraising appearance in Arizona for state Sen. Lori Klein.

Wurzelbacher became known as "Joe the Plumber" four years ago after he confronted then-candidate Barack Obama about taxes during a campaign stop. In March, he won the Republican nomination for a congressional seat in northern Ohio.

He told an audience in Prescott he wasn't willing to hide his views on border security just because he's running for Congress.

Wurzelbacher didn't immediately return a call for comment Monday, but Klein insisted that Wurzelbacher was kidding when he make the remark about shooting.