Trump-backed DiLorenzo wins New Hampshire House primary, November battles loom

New Hampshire's primaries set up November contests for governor, Senate and an open House seat. Trump's endorsee Anthony DiLorenzo broke through, while Chris Pappas and John E Sununu advanced to a keenly watched Senate fight.

In Short

• Anthony DiLorenzo, a first-time candidate, beat three Republicans for House nomination
• Kelly Ayotte comfortably secured renomination and now faces Democrat Cinde Warmington
• Chris Pappas overcame a late challenge from rival Karishma Manzur

New Hampshire's primary elections on Tuesday set up key contests for November, with a Trump-backed businessman winning the Republican nomination for an open US House seat, Governor Kelly Ayotte cruising to victory in her party's race for a second term, and Chris Pappas and former senator John E Sununu securing nominations in the battle for an open US Senate seat.

Anthony DiLorenzo won the Republican primary in the 1st Congressional District, while Ayotte will face Democrat Cinde Warmington in the governor's race. In the Senate contest, Democrat Pappas and Republican Sununu moved forward after winning their respective primaries for the seat being vacated by Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

DiLorenzo, a businessman backed by President Donald Trump, was making his first run for office. The founder of a chain of car dealerships highlighted his business background during the campaign and said it made him the best-qualified candidate despite having no political experience. Trump endorsed him in July, calling him a successful entrepreneur who would champion an economic "Golden Age".

He defeated three other Republican candidates seeking to succeed US Representative Chris Pappas, a four-term Democrat who is giving up the 1st Congressional District seat to run for the Senate.

Ayotte easily won the Republican primary as she seeks a second term as governor. She will take on Warmington in November. Warmington, who serves on the governor's Executive Council that approves state contracts and judicial nominations, was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Ayotte became New Hampshire's third woman governor when she was elected in 2024, after Democrats Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan. Like them, she also served in the US Senate, but lost her seat to Hassan in 2016 after one term. Ayotte succeeded fellow Republican Chris Sununu, who did not seek a fifth two-year term.

In the Senate race, Pappas won the Democratic nomination to succeed Shaheen, a three-term Democrat who is not seeking re-election. Pappas entered the race as the frontrunner, far outpacing his four rivals in fundraising and winning the endorsement of former vice president Kamala Harris. But as the election approached, he faced stronger competition from Karishma Manzur, a research scientist and democratic socialist who argued that he was "too beholden to special interests".

Pappas currently represents the 1st Congressional District, which covers the eastern half of New Hampshire and includes its largest city. He previously served on the governor's Executive Council, a five-member panel that approves state contracts and judicial nominees.

On the Republican side of the Senate race, Sununu won the primary for the open seat that he lost 18 years ago. He defeated another former senator, Scott Brown, and six other candidates. Sununu is hoping to replace Shaheen, the Democrat who defeated him in 2008 and is now retiring after three terms.

Sununu, who also served three terms in the House, was endorsed by Trump despite having called him "a loser" during the 2024 presidential campaign. He also had the backing of the Republican establishment in a state where the party sees the seat as a major chance to make gains as it tries to retain control of the Senate. Brown, who once represented Massachusetts and unsuccessfully challenged Shaheen in 2014, accused Sununu of "coasting on his name". Sununu's father and younger brother are both former governors.

The results set up New Hampshire's next round of major contests, with DiLorenzo advancing in the open House race, Ayotte heading into a re-election fight against Warmington, and Pappas and Sununu moving on to a closely watched Senate battle for Shaheen's seat.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends