Robert Engelhardt beat John Ring 310-148 for the House District 29 Republican nomination on Tuesday.
In the district’s three towns, Engelhardt won in Clinton 115-89, in Detroit 28-8, and in Pittsfield 167-51.
Engelhardt, 70, of Pittsfield, a small-business owner and newcomer to politics, said he supports measures to curb welfare fraud.
He now faces Democratic candidate Stanley Short of Pittsfield.
Term limits prevent incumbent Rep. Stacey Fitts, R-Pittsfield, from running for another term.