Amid all the red-rock formations, Justin “the Plumber” Pettijohn works in John McCain’s neighborhood in Arizona, a state that voted 61.6% to 36.9% for its senator. Pettijohn voted for Barack Obama. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
On a chilly evening, a full moon adds a little extra light as Pettijohn steps outside to smoke. “The night air helps me clear my thoughts,” he said. “I hope Obama can make a difference.” (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Pettijohn stands, head bowed, in the entryway to the living room, where his live-in girlfriend, Sue Gray, goes over the bills. “My deposits at the bank were $6,000 or more most months. Now, I’m lucky of it’s $600! It’s tough all over,” he says. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Pettijohn records every mile he logs on his work truck. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
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Justin Pettijohn works in his home office, going over a few bills while trying to balance his budget for his plumbing company. “There are many nights I sit here past midnight trying to make sense out of this,” he says. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Pettijohn stands on his front porch on a cold night. With business slowing, he says, “I guess you could say these are kind of scary times.” (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
