Donald Trump secured a notable victory Tuesday as his endorsed candidate, businessman Anthony DiLorenzo, won the Republican primary for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District. DiLorenzo defeated Novel Iron Works owner Hollie Noveletsky and state Rep. Brian Cole to clinch the nomination for the battleground seat.
The open seat is currently held by Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, who is running for the U.S. Senate. The nonpartisan Cook Partisan Voting Index rates the district as leaning Democratic, with a D+2 rating, but it is considered a seat a Republican candidate could potentially win in November.
The 1st Congressional District, the smaller of New Hampshire's two House districts geographically, encompasses part of southern New Hampshire, including Manchester. Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt ran for this seat in 2022, losing to Pappas by just under 10%.
During the primary race, the candidates largely agreed on issues, but DiLorenzo faced scrutiny over his stance on immigration. Noveletsky and Cole highlighted comments DiLorenzo made on a podcast suggesting that deportations of undocumented immigrants should prioritize felons and violent criminals over those who have not committed crimes since arriving in the U.S. Noveletsky stated her disagreement with any potential path to legal status for those who entered illegally but were employed.
DiLorenzo defended his position, stating he supports deporting individuals who entered the country illegally, beginning with "dangerous people, the criminals, the drug dealers, the human traffickers." He affirmed his support for law enforcement and the enforcement of laws.
Trump endorsed DiLorenzo in July, citing his business background and alignment with "America First Policies" aimed at job creation, tax cuts, and energy dominance. DiLorenzo also received endorsements from House Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and Majority Whip Tom Emmer. Noveletsky, meanwhile, was endorsed by several New Hampshire state officials and House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx.