Clay Aiken Wins North Carolina Congressional Primary
Clay Aiken for President? Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but that dream (or nightmare depending on how you look at it) became closer to a reality this week. According to reports, former American Idol alum Clay Aiken has won the Democratic primary for a North Carolina congressional seat after the accidental death of his closest rival Keith Crisco. The results are according to a final, unofficial vote that was tabulated on Tuesday. The election of Aiken will be confirmed after a state elections board review on May 22nd.
Crisco, Aiken’s challenger for the Democratic nomination in North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District, was found dead inside his home on Monday. Newspapers reported that Crisco suffered injuries from a fall at his home earlier in the day and was found dead when emergency services arrived.
The news of Aiken’s win comes just days after the race was declared too close to call. After Tuesday’s balloting, Aiken, 35, was leading Cisco, 70, by just 369 votes. Both candidates were awaiting confirmation from election officials before deciding how to proceed.
Aiken released a statement when the news surfaced: “I am stunned and deeply saddened by Keith Crisco’s death. Keith came from humble beginnings. No matter how high he rose — to Harvard, to the White House and to the Governor’s Cabinet –- he never forgot where he came from. He was a gentleman, a good and honorable man and an extraordinary public servant. I was honored to know him. I am suspending all campaign activities as we pray for his family and friends.”
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