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On Nov. 3, Granite Staters will head to the polls for the 2026 midterm elections. So every day until then, we’re breaking down New Hampshire’s biggest races.
First up: New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District (aka CD1), which includes Manchester, the Seacoast, parts of the Lakes Region and the Mount Washington Valley. (See a list of all CD1 towns here, or a map here.)
The big picture
Republicans currently hold a slim 218-214 majority in Congress, so this seat will be crucial in deciding whether they retain control. There’s limited public polling on the race, but the latest from UNH has it “statistically tied.”
Though the seat used to flip between the parties (and the same two politicians!), Rep. Chris Pappas has kept it reliably blue in recent terms. But with him out of the picture running for U.S. Senate, Republicans are hoping they can take it back.
Meet the candidates
Anthony DiLorenzo
Party: Republican
Occupation: Business owner
Age: 62
Hometown: Portsmouth
The first-time candidate coasted to a comfortable victory in the primary, thanks in part to President Trump's endorsement. A successful businessman, DiLorenzo has touted his corporate success on the campaign trail — his portfolio includes Key Auto Group, Planet Fitness franchises, and real estate development.
Here are his campaign priorities.
Stefany Shaheen
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Biotech consultant, former city councilor
Age: 52
Hometown: Portsmouth
The daughter of U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, one of the state’s most successful Democrats in recent history, Shaheen's name recognition helped her eke out a win in a large, competitive primary field. On the campaign trail, she's focused on emphasizing her work in the healthcare space and record of public service.
Here are her campaign priorities.
Issues to watch
The affordability crisis. DiLorenzo says his business experience would be an asset to tamping down on inflation, which he blamed on the Biden administration. He’s called for an end to Canadian tariffs and other updates to other tariff policies to encourage more U.S. manufacturing. In contrast, Shaheen blamed inflation on President Trump’s policies, including tariffs against Canada. She’s said she’d vote to end the tariffs, the war with Iran and tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.
We went deeper in our candidate forum. Here are their answers.
Their records outside of politics. Democrats have alleged DiLorenzo’s financial disclosures vastly understate his wealth and aren’t transparent about how he’s paying for his campaign. His island estate home is valued at $12.5 million, but his financial disclosures place his wealth at no more than $6 million. Meanwhile, Shaheen has been accused of nepotism for her consulting work at the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (or ARMI), a government-funded research project that her mother has helped steer millions of dollars toward.
We asked both of them about these allegations.Here’s DiLorenzo’s answer, and here’s Shaheen’s.
Hear them head-to-head: A few weeks ago, NHPR hosted a forum in Meredith where Shaheen and DiLorenzo sparred over affordability, AI, immigration, and lots more issues. Watch the full forum on YouTube, or using the player below.
Go deeper
Curious about other campaigns? Find all of our election coverage here.
Not sure what you need to bring to the polls? We’ve got you covered.
Wanna follow the money? Explore all of the fundraising reports.
Got questions about the election? Let us know what's on your mind.
Feeling competitive? Enter our Election Explorer Challenge. (You could win a gift card to a local bookstore!)
