DiLorenzo secured the Republican nomination for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, defeating fellow GOP contender Hollie Noveletsky in Tuesday’s primary election.
Decision Desk HQ projected DiLorenzo as the winner, setting up what is expected to be a highly competitive general election race with significant implications for House control.
Noveletsky, a military veteran and businesswoman, mounted a challenge but could not overcome the Trump-backed auto businessman’s momentum heading into the final stretch of the campaign.
President Trump endorsed DiLorenzo in July, praising him on Truth Social as someone who “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.”
DiLorenzo built his career in the automotive industry, founding a chain of car dealerships and collision centers before turning his attention toward elected office.
The primary victory represents a win for Trump, who has faced a mixed endorsement track record during this primary season across competitive districts nationwide.
Despite carrying the president’s endorsement, DiLorenzo has been careful to assert a degree of independence, signaling to New Hampshire voters that he is not simply a rubber stamp for the White House.
He told WMUR, “When I’m in agreement with the president, I’m happy to do so, if it benefits the people in New Hampshire.”
DiLorenzo also addressed how he would handle disagreements with Trump, saying, “If I disagree with the president, I would let him know — and not on national TV, in a private setting, just like he did to me when he called me up and said, ‘I’m going to endorse you.'”
New Hampshire’s 1st District has leaned Democratic for much of the past two decades, spending 16 of the last 20 years under Democratic representation.
Former Rep. Carol Shea-Porter held the seat before Rep. Chris Pappas took over, with Republican Pete Guinta serving two non-consecutive terms during the 2010s as the lone interruption to Democratic control.
Pappas opted not to seek reelection to the House, choosing instead to pursue the open Senate seat in New Hampshire, leaving the district up for grabs in a race both parties are treating as a key battleground.
