Clay Aiken ran against Republican incumbent Renee Ellmers for a House seat in North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District, and the “American Idol” runner-up ended up in second place for the third time.
The openly gay, relatively liberal Broadway singer, born in Raleigh, decided he wanted to run for Congress in the conservative district in February, though he lacked political experience. He held a slim lead during the May primary, and the day before his opponent — former North Carolina Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco — had planned to concede to Aiken, he died from injuries he sustained during a fall at his home. Aiken secured the candidacy. (RELATED: Report Released From Death Of Clay Aiken’s Opponent)
However, midterm elections Tuesday revealed Aiken couldn’t unseat Ellmers.
Aiken succumbed to his first loss during “American Idol’s” second season in 2003, when Alabama native Ruben Studdard defeated him in the singing competition.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Then again, in 2012, Aiken lost to Arsenio Hall in NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice.”
(Photo: Getty Images)
And now, Aiken has lost again. (RELATED: Well, Clay Aiken’s Bus Broke Down After He Voted For Himself)
(Photo: Getty Images)
It looks like Aiken will always be invisible.
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