RALEIGH
After a bruising primary election followed by a string of recounts and protests, North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger conceded the race to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page on Tuesday, ushering in the end of Berger’s more than 15 years as the most powerful Republican in North Carolina, and his 25 years in the Senate.
Tuesday’s announcement confirms the stunning defeat of a man who has dominated North Carolina politics for over a decade, having helped usher in a Republican majority to the legislature in 2010 that has not been toppled since.
Berger has been known for leading conservative efforts to lower income taxes and expand school choice.
In a statement released just hours after a partial hand recount confimed his 23-vote loss, Berger congratulated Page on winning the race.
“Republicans in the General Assembly have fundamentally redefined our state’s outlook and reputation. It has been an honor to play a role in that transformation,” Berger said in a statement. “Looking ahead, I remain committed to working with my colleagues in the short session to ensure North Carolina continues to be the best state in the nation in which to live, work, raise a family, and retire.”
In a statement, Page said he appreciated Berger’s service to the state.
“I thank him for wishing me the best moving forward,” Page said. “This was a hard-fought campaign, and I’m honored that the voters of Guilford and Rockingham counties placed their trust in me.”
Berger told The News & Observer a week before the primary that he plans to finish out the rest of his term in the Senate, which ends in December. As the Senate president pro tempore, he holds the top leadership position chosen by the Senate’s controlling party. He was elected to a two-year term as pro tem, giving him final say on what bills come to the floor for a vote.
Senate Republicans currently hold a supermajority, meaning they have enough votes to override a veto from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. But Republicans are one vote short of that threshold in the House of Representatives.
Berger was in the minority party for the first decade of his Senate career. His tenure leading the Senate took place as Republicans also led the House with former speakers Thom Tillis and Tim Moore, who both went on to serve in Congress.
Election decided by few votes
Despite receiving an endorsement from President Donald Trump and benefiting from millions in campaign spending, Berger trailed Page by just two votes on election night.
After provisional votes were counted, Page’s lead grew to 23.
Berger easily won a majority of votes in the Guilford County part of Senate District 26, but Page doubled Berger’s votes in their home county of Rockingham.
Berger and Page’s careers have both lasted decades, with Page in office as sheriff just a few years longer than Berger has been in the Senate in the Republican-leaning district.
Signs of cracks in Berger support showed a few years ago when Page led an effort to oppose Berger’s plan to bring a casino to the district. After Page declared his run in 2025, Berger racked up many endorsements, including one from Trump. Trump’s endorsement of Berger came with praise for Page, too, and the president offered Page a job in Washington to leave the race.
Page stayed in and prevailed, despite running against the president’s preferred candidate.
A full machine recount and a sample hand recount affirmed Page’s win, even as Berger filed a barrage of election protests alleging that various irregularities had prevented some people from voting — or improperly allowed others to participate when they shouldn’t have.
Those protests only affected 13 voters in total — not enough to clear Berger’s gap with Page.
In rare cases, election protests can lead to a new election being called. But Berger would’ve had to gain the support of at least four of the five members of the North Carolina State Board of Elections to approve such an extraordinary request.
Concession avoids prolonged court battle
Had Berger not conceded, the race ultimately could’ve ended up in court, potentially setting off a similarly chaotic and expensive battle to that of Jefferson Griffin, whose unprecedented challenge of his loss in the 2024 state Supreme Court race ping-ponged between courts for six months before he finally conceded to Allison Riggs, the Democratic incumbent.
A prolonged court battle would’ve drawn significant scrutiny, considering that Berger’s son, Phil Berger Jr., is a sitting justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court.
In the past, Berger Jr. has not recused himself from cases involving legislation passed by his father or impacting his position as Senate leader.
This story was originally published March 24, 2026 at 4:14 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.
