Republican candidates for the N.C. Senate, Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page (left) and Sen. Phil Berger (right) talked with supporters Tuesday night telling them that their race was too close to call.
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RALEIGH
A formal tally of votes in North Carolina’s primary election showed longtime Senate leader Phil Berger, one of the state’s most powerful politicians, continuing to trail his Republican opponent, Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page.
Friday’s count, known as the canvass, confirmed that Page remains 23 votes ahead of Berger in the Republican primary for Senate District 26, which includes Rockingham County and parts of Guilford.
Election officials in Rockingham and Guilford did not disqualify or add any ballots in the District 26 race at Friday’s canvass, meaning Page maintained the same lead he gained last week after provisional ballots were counted.
However, the margin between the two candidates is well within the threshold for a recount. Berger has until Tuesday at noon to request one.
In a statement from Berger’s campaign Friday evening, spokesperson Jonathan Felts said, “Our legal team is monitoring and evaluating this situation as election officials continue to adjudicate this process.”
“… While I anticipate we will, at a minimum, request a machine recount, no decision has been made yet,” he said.
If a recount is requested, it must take place before the final state canvass on March 25.
Both campaigns also have until Tuesday to file election protests, which are formal complaints that allege that some misconduct could have affected the outcome of the election. Representatives for Page and Berger have not indicated if they plan to file such a complaint.
“It is my expectation that when we have something to say, we shall say it proactively and not in response to a reporter’s query,” Felts told The News & Observer.
As for Page, a campaign adviser told the N&O that he was continuing to review his options.
“Sheriff Sam Page won this election and the voters deserve to have that result respected,” Pat Sebastian, the adviser, said.
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 1:30 PM.
Kyle Ingram
The News & Observer
Kyle Ingram is the Democracy Reporter for the News & Observer. He reports on voting rights, election administration, the state judicial branch and more. He is a graduate of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at UNC-Chapel Hill.
