Minnesota 2nd Congressional District candidate Paula Overby has died

(FOX 9) - Paula Overby, the Legal Marijuana Now party's candidate for Minnesota's Second Congressional District, has died.

The 68-year-old died on Wednesday after being hospitalized due to complications with a heart valve, according to reports. 

Because Legal Marijuana Now has major party status in Minnesota, the party can nominate a replacement candidate. However, early voting has already begun.  

The Minnesota Secretary of State's Office in a statement Wednesday said, "In 2021, a federal district court ruled Minnesota's statute governing vacancies in nomination is preempted by federal law and does not apply to a race for U.S. Congress. In the absence of any other court order, the Nov. 8, 2022 ballots will remain as printed, and the Congressional District 2 election will proceed as scheduled on Nov. 8, 2022.

The Second Congressional District race, which includes incumbent Democrat Angie Craig and Republican Tyler Kistner, is one of the most competitive U.S. House races in the country. 

This isn't the first time a Legal Marijuana Now candidate seeking the Second Congressional District seat has died weeks before an election. In 2020, Adam Weeks, who was nominated by the Legal Marijuana Now Party, died in September of that year. 

This is a developing story.