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Before 'Joe the Plumber,' there was 'Jim the Plumber'
By Danny Reiter, PolitickerMD.com ReporterThere's a second Republican plumber on the political scene this year.
Jim Berndt -- a member of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee -- says he's had the nickname "Jim the Plumber," not to be confused with "Joe the Plumber," for at least four years.
The latter rose in prominence during the second presidential debate after an encounter with Barack Obama on the campaign trail in Ohio. Jim Berndt, meanwhile, is a licensed master plumber who's owned "Jim's Plumbing and Heating" since 1980. He currently employees two technicians and often uses his own time to lobby on behalf of the plumbing trade.
Jim "the Plumber" Berndt says he received a slew of emails after "Joe the Plumber" hit the political scene.
"What the hell's going on with Joe the Plumber?" Berndt paraphrased one email as saying. "You're the only plumber we know."
Berndt has his sights on a seat in the House of Delegates. If state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville) defeats Democrat Frank Kratovil in his bid for Congress, his state Senate seat will open. Del J.B. Jennings (R-Harford County), who represents the 7th District where Jim lives, has his eye on the Senate seat along with two others. If the Baltimore and Harford County Republican Central Committees pick Jennings to fill Harris's seat, then his seat will open next.
Berndt says he's interested in becoming a state Delegate, but is more interested in getting Harris elected to Congress. "It's an order of procedure. We've gotta get Andy elected to Congress," Berndt told PolitickerMD.com.
To help get Harris elected, Berndt says he's been volunteering, giving out signs and "talking Andy up" to his friends. But earlier this week Berndt took it a step further and agreed to appear in an ad for Harris's campaign.
In the ad, Berndt calls Kratovil a "tax and spend liberal," and says the Queen Anne's County state's Attorney "doesn't understand guys like me."
Berndt says he did the ad completely unrehearsed and spoke from the heart.
"That is me," Berndt told PolitickerMD.com. "I believe in Andy Harris."
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