Dennis Hof, the notorious pimp and Republican candidate for Nevada's state assembly, died hours after a combination 72nd birthday party/campaign rally attended by GOP tax fighter Grover Norquist; Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was recently pardoned by President Donald Trump, and porn movie legend Ron Jeremy.
Jeremy found Hof, who had died in his sleep at the Love Ranch Vegas, one of Hof's legal brothels, in Crystal, Nevada, according to a tweet from Hof's campaign manager, Chuck Muth.
Hof's birthday was Sunday.
Hof, a cigar-smoking sybarite, also owned the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, which was made famous by the HBO show "Cathouse." He had said that Trump inspired him to run for office.
A month before his death, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported that police were investigating an allegation that Hof had sexually assaulted a woman. Three former prostitutes previously had accused Hof of sexual assault. But prosecutors did not file charges against Hof because the statute of limitations had expired in each case, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported earlier this year.
Hof, who denied the allegations, told the Las Vegas newspaper that "It's this sort of muckraking in the political cesspool that keeps so many good people from running for office."
"But it won't deter me," he added.
"I got a call from his assistant, in tears saying Dennis died and I need you to come out here immediately, I can't deal with this myself," Muth said. "We had a wonderful event last night. He was having the time of his life last night. Grover Norquist was there ... Ron Jeremy was there. He was given a rescue dog as a birthday present."
Norquist, in an email to CNBC, said that he had met Hof several years ago while appearing with him on Fox Business Network.
"I did not know he was famous from his HBO show. My press guy explained the world to me," said Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform. "Later (two years ago) he called me to say he was running for state legislature as a Libertarian — challenging a Republican incumbent who voted for a massive tax hike. He signed the [no-tax increase] pledge. I endorsed him. Dennis Hof narrowly lost."
"Two years later — this year, Dennis ran in the GOP primary and won the primary. I spoke at one event with him in the spring and one last night after he won the primary. I liked his politics. I liked him. He was a great guy," Norquist said.
"He was a strong leader for the taxpayer movement," he added. "He would have shaken up Carson City and moved Nevada back to its Reagan/Laxalt roots. I knew that whatever happens on election day I would be celebrating my friend's victory."
"He was a personal friend. I liked him. He was full of the world's wisdom and kindness. I miss him already," Norquist said.
Muth also had said in a tweet during the shindig that Fox News host Tucker Carlson called in to the party to say hello "to the standing-room-only crowd."
Hof, whose 2015 memoir was titled "The Art of the Pimp," had defeated an incumbent state assemblyman in the Republican primary in the summer. His name will still appear on the general election ballot for the District 36 seat, according to the Reno Gazette Journal.
If he wins, a replacement would be appointed.
Hof said earlier this year that Trump's shocking 2016 win inspired him to run for office.
"I'm riding the Trump wave," Hof said in June after winning his primary. "He's Christopher Columbus."