Clay Aiken Opponent Found Dead

In a shocking turn of events, Clay Aiken's opponent for the Democrat nomination for Congress in North Carolina has been found dead.

More from WNCN:

North Carolina Congressional candidate Keith Crisco, who was locked in a tight challenge with Clay Aiken for the Democratic nomination, died suddenly at his home on Monday, WNCN confirmed.

A woman at his company, Asheboro Elastics Corp. in Asheboro, confirmed that he died at his home Monday around 1 p.m. She said employees at the company were being told what had happened.

"It is true," she said. "But we don't have any details. They wanted his employees to know."

Crisco., a successful Asheboro businessman and later secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, had faced Aiken in a tense battle for the Democratic nomination in the 2nd Congressional District.