J. Keith Crisco, the Democratic candidate who trailed singer Clay Aiken in the North Carolina congressional primaries, has died on Monday.

Crisco died a day before officials determine if an election runoff would be required for him and rival Aiken.

Asheboro elastics business co-founder Crisco has served both local and state government. He died around 1 PM at his home, said the North Carolina Democratic Party. A report from the Asheboro Courier-Tribune said that 71 year old Crisco died after a fall.

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Clay Aiken was a former American Idol contestant and was making his first bid for public office. He was on the top spot with Crisco trailing behind by just 369 votes in the primary election last Tuesday.

The county election officers have set a vote canvassing on Tuesday to determine whether an election runoff would push through or not.

The state election mandates that a primary runoff would occur if no candidate would get 40 percent of the vote.

The initial results recorded Aiken holding 40.8 percent votes. Crisco could give in but could also request for a recount if the final margin falls within 1 percentage point.

Following Crisco's unexpected death, Aiken issued a statement suspending all activities related to his campaign. He referred to Crisco as a “gentleman, a good and honorable man and an extraordinary public servant.”

The death of Keith Crisco assures Aiken of the Democratic nomination to face Republican Representative Renee Ellmers in the November polls even if Tuesday's counting would show that Crisco took the lead.

North Carolina State Board of Elections spokesman Joshua Lawson said the Democratic Party would then nominate a replacement for the demised candidate. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party said that a recount has already been anticipated.

North Carolina Democratic Party chairman Randy Holler said that Crisco was a brilliant problem solver. He added that the late Keith Crisco would have made a good, solid public policy and would have been a great congressman. Furthermore, Holler added that Crisco felt that North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District badly needed a new leader in Washington.

TagsClay Aiken, Keith Crisco, North Carolina, Democrats, Republicans