The man who ran against former American Idol star Clay Aiken in a North Carolina congressional primary is dead, the Courier-Tribune reports.

Keith Crisco, 71, was found dead in his home, a representative from the Asheboro Elastics Corp, which was owned by Crisco, tells NBC News. Reports say he suffered a fall. He was reported dead at the scene.

Crisco and Aiken were locked in a too-close-to-call primary battle in North Carolina's Democratic primary for U.S. House District 2. Crisco was trailing Aiken by just a few hundred votes and was waiting for the final count before deciding if he would press on in the race. Crisco's advisors had told a reporter Monday night that they would evaluate what to do next in the morning. The Democratic nominee will face Rep. Renee Ellmers, the Republican incumbent, in the fall.

Clay Aiken released a statement Monday afternoon that said, "He was a gentleman, a good and honorable man and an extraordinary public servant."