Trump-backed candidate wins high-stakes GOP primary for New Hampshire battleground district

President Donald Trump scored a key victory in New Hampshire on Tuesday night, with his chosen candidate winning the GOP primary for one of the state's two battleground congressional districts.

Businessman Anthony DiLorenzo defeated Novel Iron Works owner Hollie Noveletsky and state Rep. Brian Cole to clinch the Republican nomination for the Granite State's 1st U.S. House district.

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The race has been contentious on both sides of the aisle for the open seat, which is currently occupied by Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., who is running for the U.S. Senate.

Republican U.S. House candidate Anthony DiLorenzo prepares for a forum in Hampton with other Republican candidates, June 24, 2026. (Deb Cram/Seacoastonline/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images/Reuters)

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As a result of his U.S. Senate run, Pappas is leaving the House, opening a moderately blue seat that the nonpartisan Cook Partisan Voting Index rates D+2. That means it does lean in favor of Democrats, but the right Republican candidate could sweep come November.

New Hampshire only has two congressional districts, with the 1st being the smaller of the two geographically. It includes part of southern New Hampshire, including Manchester, the state's most populous city. New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District is notably a seat that former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt ran for in 2022. Pappas defeated her by just under 10%.

Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, a U.S. Senate candidate, is joined by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of neighboring Massachusetts, at a campaign stop in Dover, N.H. on Sept. 5, 2026. (Jessica Sonkin/Fox News)

The three candidates running for the GOP nomination in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District largely overlapped on most issues during their debates. But the most recent face-off, hosted by local station WMUR earlier this month, saw DiLorenzo become a target over his stance on illegal immigration.

Noveletsky and Cole both seized on DiLorenzo's comments on "The Granite Discourse" podcast in which he suggested that deporting illegal immigrants should focus on felons and violent criminals over those who did not commit crimes since getting to the U.S., according to NHJournal.

"Unlike Anthony, who is on record on Granite Discourse saying that if somebody came here illegally and was working that they should have a path, I disagree," Noveletsky said during the debate.

Republican U.S. House candidate Hollie Noveletsky is seen June 24, 2026, in Hampton. (Deb Cram/Seacoastonline/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images/Reuters)

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DiLorenzo said he supported deporting people who came to the U.S. illegally and added, "I would start with the dangerous people, the criminals, the drug dealers, the human traffickers. The law is clear, and I support law enforcement and the enforcement of our laws."

Trump endorsed DiLorenzo in July, writing on Truth Social, "As a very successful Businessman and Entrepreneur, Anthony understands the America First Policies required to Create GREAT Jobs, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., and Champion our Nation’s Golden Age."

President Donald Trump arrives to host a dinner in the Rose Garden at the White House on Sept. 2, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

DiLorenzo was also endorsed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn.

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Noveletsky, meanwhile, was endorsed by a slew of New Hampshire state officials as well as House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., according to her campaign website.