SPAMALOT's Clay Aiken Defeated in Race for North Carolina Congressional Seat

Former AMERICAN IDOL runner-up and Broadway star Clay Aiken lost his bid for a seat in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District in yesterday's midterm elections. According to CNN.com, Rep. Renee Elmers (R-N.C.), conisdered the favorite, defeated the star of Broadway's 2008 production of 'Spamalot' with 59 percent of the vote.

The close race saw its share of tragedy when Aiken's Democratic primary opponent, former North Carolina Commerce Secretary and businessman Keith Crisco, was found dead as the votes of their close election were still being tallied. At the time, Aiken was leading the primary by just a few hundred votes.

Aiken became a household name while appearing on the second season of American Idol, turning millions of viewers into instant fans. Following American Idol, his debut album Measure of a Manskyrocketed to multi-platinum status. Mr. Aiken has launched ten national concert tours, authored a New York Times best-selling memoir, Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life, and released several albums including, Merry Christmas with Love, A Thousand Different Ways and On My Way Here, all of which debuted in the top five on the Billboard chart. Mr. AiKen Starred in a televised Christmas special, A Clay Aiken Christmas and a live concert special in 2010 onPBS Tried & True Live! He has appeared on many popular television shows including Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva, Scrubs,30 Rock and Saturday Night Live.

A frequent talk show guest, particularly on The Tonight Show andJimmy Kimmel Live!, he recently competed in the fifth season of The Celebrity Apprentice. Mr. Aiken garnered broad critical acclaim for his Broadway debut as Sir Robin in the Tony Award winning production of Spamalot in 2008 and 2009.

Photo courtesy of ClayAiken.com