Berger and Page Virtually Tied in State Senate Race

Senate Republican leader Phil Berger, North Carolina’s most powerful politician, trailed Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page by two votes with all precincts reporting in the state’s most-watched primary on Tuesday. 

Page declared victory at his election night party in Stokesdale. “The results are in,” he said. “We just won.”

But Page’s lead is not assured. Provisional votes have yet to be tallied, and a recount is almost certain. A lengthy legal battle could also follow. 

Berger, a 13-term incumbent, ran with the endorsement of President Donald Trump. But MAGA activists have been skeptical of his politics. Berger also alienated GOP factions both statewide and at home in Rockingham when he backed a proposal to build a casino there in 2023. 

“We still don’t know,” a subdued Berger told reporters at the end of his election night event in Reidsville. “And it’s still too early to make any pronouncements of good or of disappointment.”

Page, who gained a national reputation as an immigration hardliner, has been Rockingham’s sheriff for 27 years. As we reported recently, county commissioners have questioned his management, finances, and jail operations. Page dismissed the complaints as “political theater” brought by Berger’s allies—which includes the Senate leader’s son Kevin.

The primary results reflected a split between the district’s two counties. Page won Rockingham, where both he and Berger live, by a 2-1 margin; Berger won the Guilford County part of the district by about the same margin. Surprisingly, more ballots were cast in Rockingham than in Guilford. Both campaigns expected Guilford to have higher turnout. 

This was Berger’s first serious primary challenge. But spending by his campaign and allies likely topped $10 million, as The Assembly reported Monday, a sign of concern about his grip on the seat. His campaign and independent expenditure groups supporting him had spent more than $8.6 million as of February 14, and still had $2 million more on hand that many expected would be spent before Tuesday.

“Tonight, we showed the opposition that you can put $10-to-12 million in a campaign account, those dark ads with all that negative stuff, but you know what, it worked against you,” Page said Tuesday night. “As your sheriff and as your next senator, I will make sure that I never forget who I work for.”

Joe Killian contributed reporting.