Duprey — the former longtime state Republican Party chair who was a close friend to John McCain and a trusted N.H. and national adviser on the senator from Arizona’s 2000 and 2008 presidential campaigns (McCain won the N.H. primary in both of his White House bids) — was defeated by grassroots activist and Hillsborough County Republican chair Chris Ager of Amherst, N.H.

The vote took place today at a meeting of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee. The secret ballot vote totals were kept private by state party officials, but sources told Fox News it wasn’t a close vote.

Duprey had the backing of much of the state’s GOP establishment, including popular Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. And Duprey — who had served on the RNC’s all-important Rules Committee for much of his 16-year tenure on the national committee — was known for his tireless efforts to make sure the state’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary stayed first in the GOP presidential nominating calendar. That’s a crucial part of his job as an RNC committee member. And the fight to keep the state’s primary status as the first-in-the-nation may be tougher than ever moving forward.