Clay Aiken Fights For Congressional Seat

Singer Clay Aiken has won a chance for a North Carolina congressional seat, according to reports from his native state.

This former American Idol star contested the Democratic primary with businessman Keith Crisco.

Now, a day after Crisco’s death, Aiken is looking to face Republican incumbent Renee Ellmers in November 2014.

On Tuesday, May 13, state official presented the results of the vote and it appears that Aiken won the 2nd Congressional District race with more than 40 per cent of the vote.

Crisco had reportedly acknowledged defeat before his death on Monday, May 12.

On Monday, second-place finisher Keith Crisco, died after falling at his home. Only hours earlier, campaign manager Christine Botta said they had counted the absentee votes in two key counties, which forced Crisco to acknowledge defeat. He had decided to concede his loss to Aiken on Tuesday, she said.

“Keith and I talked in detail about the fact that the votes weren’t there,” Botta said.

Aiken and Crisco each picked up a handful of votes after the last of the absentee ballots returned by a Monday deadline were counted, according to results on the State Board of Elections website.

“It was just a total freak accident,” said Brad Crone, a Raleigh political consultant and friend who discussed Crisco’s concession decision with the candidate about two hours before his death.

“The truth is stranger than fiction.”