Nevada brothel owner running for state legislature dies at 72

A Nevada brothel owner who was running for a seat in the state’s legislature died Tuesday at the age of 72, according to his campaign manager.

{mosads}Dennis Hof, who was running as a Republican in November’s race for a seat representing Nevada’s Assembly District 36, died Tuesday morning. No further details about his death were immediately available, and CBS affiliate LasVegasNow.com reports that Nye County officials have yet to confirm his death.

“I just confirmed with Nye County sheriff’s deputy that Dennis Hof passed away this morning. No other details at this point. I’m heading out to Love Ranch Vegas now. Official statement will come once I learn more,” tweeted his campaign manager Chuck Muth on Tuesday.

I just confirmed with Nye County sheriff’s deputy that Dennis Hof passed away this morning. No other details at this point. I’m heading out to Love Ranch Vegas now. Official statement will come once I learn more.

— Chuck Muth (@ChuckMuth) October 16, 2018

Hof, the former star of HBO’s “Cathouse,” won his party’s primary earlier this year, beating incumbent Assemblyman James Oscarson (R) in the June GOP primary. He was set to face Democrat Lesia Romanov for the seat in November.

The businessman previously lost a 2016 Libertarian Party bid for the seat against Oscarson, taking just under 40 percent of the vote while no Democrat ran in the general election.

Despite Nevada’s support for Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016, the district is solidly red. Nye county went for President Trump in 2016, with 68 percent of voters in the county supporting his bid.

Hof was best known for owning seven legally-run brothels in the state of Nevada, and for publicly advocating that such establishments be regulated and taxed by the state’s government.