North Carolina Power Shift: Senate Leader Phil Berger Concedes Razor-Thin Primary to Sheriff Sam Page

RALEIGH, N.C. — Phil Berger, the Republican who has been the dominant force in the North Carolina legislature for more than a decade, formally conceded the GOP primary for his state Senate seat on Tuesday to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page after multiple recounts and ballot reviews left Page with a 23-vote advantage.

Phil Berger, candidate for North Carolina State Senate, campaigns at Douglass Elementary in Eden, N.C., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Woody Marshall/News & Record via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Berger, 73, has led the state Senate since 2011 and first joined the chamber in 2001. His leadership helped shape a conservative agenda that included income tax cuts, expanded private-school vouchers, stricter abortion limits, and looser gun regulations. Allies credit him with contributing to the state’s economic growth; critics say his policies favored wealthier constituents and shortchanged public education and state employees.

Sam Page, candidate for North Carolina State Senate, campaigns at the Rockingham County Agriculture Center in Reidsville, N.C., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Woody Marshall/News & Record via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

On primary night, unofficial returns showed Page ahead by just two votes out of more than 26,000 ballots cast in the 26th Senate District, which covers parts of Greensboro and nearby communities. Page’s lead widened after county election boards reviewed provisional, absentee and other outstanding ballots. Berger’s campaign pursued recounts and filed formal protests, but a hand recount of a small batch of ballots Tuesday morning produced no change to Page’s slim margin, prompting Berger’s concession.

Sam Page, candidate for North Carolina State Senate, campaigns at the Rockingham County Agriculture Center in Reidsville, N.C., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Woody Marshall/News & Record via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

"While this was a close race, the voters have spoken, and I congratulate Sheriff Page on his victory," Berger said in a news release. "Over the past 15 years, Republicans in the General Assembly have fundamentally redefined our state’s outlook and reputation. It has been an honor."

Page, first elected sheriff in 1998, said Berger called to concede. "I thank him for wishing me the best moving forward," Page said. "Now it’s time for our community to come together and focus on winning in November." Page will be the Republican nominee in November in a district that leans GOP.

Sam Page, candidate for North Carolina State Senate, campaigns at the Rockingham County Agriculture Center in Reidsville, N.C., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Woody Marshall/News & Record via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Campaign spending was lopsided: through mid-February Berger’s campaign outspent Page by more than 50-to-1, not counting several million dollars in independent expenditures backing Berger. Local issues helped Page’s case: Berger’s unsuccessful 2023 effort to bring a casino to Rockingham County alienated some social conservatives and gave the sheriff a potent local storyline to challenge Berger’s focus on statewide influence.

Former President Donald Trump had endorsed Berger and praised his record, even as he separately complimented Page and suggested the sheriff could "come work for us in Washington, D.C." Page declined that suggestion and ran the primary challenge.

What This Means For State Leadership

Berger can remain a senator and chamber leader through the end of the year; the Senate elects its leader every two years, so members would choose a new leader in early 2027 if Republicans retain their majority after the fall election. The legislature’s main 2026 session begins in April, a period during which Berger’s top lieutenants are likely to jockey for position should a leadership change be needed.

Political observers emphasize Berger’s long influence behind the scenes: he shepherded major shifts in appointment powers, negotiated a Medicaid expansion compromise despite partisan clashes, and was central to the conservative policy agenda in the state. Western Carolina University political scientist Chris Cooper called Berger "the most powerful politician in North Carolina" in a message noting his ability to quietly wield influence over the years.

With Page now the nominee, attention will turn to the November race and whether the GOP can hold the district. For Berger, the concession marks the likely end of an era of direct rule from the Senate’s top conservative architect.