Death of brothel owner and Trump-inspired candidate Dennis Hof at the age of 72: NPR

Dennis Hof, who used his celebrity as a brothel owner to embark on a political career, was found dead Tuesday at Love Ranch, one of several legal brothels he owned in the US. Nevada.

Hof was best known for his reality TV show Cathouse which was broadcast on HBO. But recently, he became the future politician, seeking a seat in the state assembly. His first victory over a three-term Republican in a rural district in southern Nevada shook local politics and made national headlines.

His death was confirmed at a meeting of the Nye County Commission. The sheriff's department said it was dead in his sleep, although the department is investigating the cause, which is the norm for unguarded deaths, according to county spokesman Arnold Knightly.

Death was a shock to his friends and associates. Her main assistant, Zackery Hames, answered her phone but was too emotional to comment. Death was announced Tuesday, two days after Hof's birthday.

In a recent interview with NPR, Hof did not hesitate to talk about his work as a legal pimp and his political aspirations.

"Dennis Hof is Pahrump's asset," said Hof, describing how people talked about him in the most populous city in the district. "He is rich, he is famous, he has nerves of steel, he loves sexy girls."

Hof was to win the seat of this very conservative district which is constantly voting for the Republican Party. But he ran against Democratic candidate Lesia Romanov, deputy director of Las Vegas, who claimed to get national support to help him in his campaign.

He was a controversial figure, and not everyone was happy with his candidacy. Some Republican institutions worked against him. And allegations of sexual assault and rape – allegations he has denied – have clouded his campaign. Still, he was excited about his path from "pimping to politics," he joked.

After the state assembly, Hof said that he had his eyes focused on the governor's house. He attributed his political success to Donald Trump, the person he nicknamed "Christopher Columbus" for candidates like him.

The ballot papers for the November 6 election have already been printed and the notices that Hof died will be posted at the polls. If Hof were to win, according to a spokesman for the Nevada State Secretary, the seat would be considered vacant. The commissioners of the three counties of the district would then appoint another republican.