Clay Aiken's Primary Opponent Found Dead

The man who ran against former American Idol star Clay Aiken in a North Carolina congressional primary is dead, the Courier-Tribune reports.

Keith Crisco, 71, was found dead in his home, a representative from the Asheboro Elastics Corp, which was owned by Crisco, tells NBC News. Reports say he suffered a fall. He was reported dead at the scene.

Crisco and Aiken were locked in a too-close-to-call primary battle in North Carolina's Democratic primary for U.S. House District 2. Crisco was trailing Aiken by just a few hundred votes and was waiting for the final count before deciding if he would press on in the race. Crisco's advisors had told a reporter Monday night that they would evaluate what to do next in the morning. The Democratic nominee will face Rep. Renee Ellmers, the Republican incumbent, in the fall. Read more...