Republican Dennis Hof, a Nevada brothel owner and former reality TV star who died last month, was elected Tuesday to a legislative seat representing a rural southern portion of the state, according to The Associated Press.
Hof was elected to the Assembly District 36, beating Democratic challenger Lesia Romanov, an educator. State law allows county officials to appoint another Republican to fill the vacancy. The district is located in three counties, Clark, Lincoln and Nye, so three candidates could be identified before a final selection is determined.
At one time, Hof owned a half dozen legal brothels in the state. The 72-year-old's death took place after officials had already mailed ballots. He had been backed in the election by Roger Stone, a former advisor to President Donald Trump, and anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist.
Hof, who had starred in the HBO adult reality series "Cathouse," was found dead Oct. 16 at his Love Ranch brothel about an hour outside Las Vegas. His body was discovered by porn legend Ron Jeremy and a prostitute at the brothel.
He died last month, hours after a combination campaign rally and birthday party, where he was joined by Jeremy, Norquist and immigration hardliner Joe Arpaio, the former Arizona sheriff who was convicted of criminal contempt of court but pardoned by Trump.
Hof said earlier this year that Trump's victory in 2016 helped inspire him to run for office this year.