North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger conceded a narrow Republican primary loss to Sheriff Sam Page on Tuesday, ending a political run that has made Berger a central conservative figure in state government. Berger, who has led the state Senate since 2011, conceded after a series of recount steps and a Tuesday hand recount of a small portion of ballots, his concession meaning Page will move on to the November general election in the GOP-leaning 26th Senate District.
The outcome in the 26th District hinged on an initially razor-thin vote count after the March 3 primary. Unofficial results on primary election night showed Page leading Berger by two votes out of more than 26,000 counted votes. Elections boards in the two counties within the district later reviewed provisional, absentee and other ballots, and both campaigns pursued recount procedures after the initial results were posted.
Berger trailed Page by only 23 votes in the March 3 primary, according to the AP report. Later recounts were conducted and Berger’s campaign filed formal protests, but Berger ultimately gave up after a hand recount of a small portion of ballots on Tuesday morning showed no change in Page’s narrow lead.
With the primary decided, Page will advance to the November general election against Democrat Steve Luking, whom Berger defeated in 2024. Page said Berger called him Tuesday to concede, and Page thanked him in a statement and said it was now time “for our community to come together and focus on winning in November.”
In a news release after the concession, Berger said: “While this was a close race, the voters have spoken, and I congratulate Sheriff Page on his victory,” and he added: “Over the past 15 years, Republicans in the General Assembly have fundamentally redefined our state’s outlook and reputation. It has been an honor.” Berger has said he expects to remain a senator and a chamber leader through the end of the year, with senators scheduled to pick a new chamber leader in early 2027.
The campaign contest also reflected national Republican politics around redistricting. The AP report said President Donald Trump endorsed Berger for reelection, praising his policy accomplishments, and that the endorsement came after the state legislature redrew North Carolina’s U.S. House district map in an effort to flip a Democratic seat as part of Trump’s redistricting campaign to help the GOP retain control of the U.S. House.
The report said Trump’s endorsement also came with a separate message about Page. It quoted that Trump praised Page and said he wanted the sheriff to “come work for us in Washington, D.C.” rather than run against Berger, and it said Page declined. The AP described Page as having supported Trump’s immigration enforcement policies over the years.
Page’s path to the nomination included local opposition politics. The AP report said Page tapped into voter discontent with the argument that Berger was more interested in state-level power than in looking out for constituents. It also pointed to Berger’s unsuccessful 2023 effort to pass a law that could have brought a casino to Rockingham County, saying that effort angered social conservatives and created an opening for Page.
The primary matchup followed a large spending imbalance. The AP report said Page’s campaign was outspent by Berger’s campaign by more than 40-to-1 through mid-February, based on finance reports, and noted that the figure did not include several million dollars from a pro-Berger independent expenditure group that spent on mailers and advertising. The AP story also included an update that corrected the spending comparison, saying Berger’s campaign outspent Page by more than 40-to-1, not more than 50-to-1.
Berger’s long tenure and role in shaping conservative policy in North Carolina has been central to his influence. The AP report said Berger joined the Senate in 2001 and served as minority leader before Republicans took full control of the General Assembly for the first time in 140 years. It described his legislative impact as reaching across policies such as income tax reductions, private-school vouchers, restrictions on abortion and changes affecting gun regulations.
Supporters and critics framed the contest in different terms after Tuesday’s concession. The AP report cited current GOP House Speaker Destin Hall praising Berger late Tuesday as “a true titan of conservative leadership in North Carolina.” It also cited Senate Minority Leader Sydney Batch saying in a news release that Berger “has put power, politics, and special interests ahead of the people he was elected to serve,” and it included critics’ arguments that Berger’s agenda benefited the rich, limited salary increases for state employees and teachers, and did not adequately fund public schools while sending money to private schools.
The concession now sets up a leadership question inside the Senate as the legislature’s 2026 work session begins in April and senators begin jockeying for successors if the GOP maintains a majority in the fall. With the chamber’s 50 members picking a leader every two years, Berger’s loss in his own district means the internal path of succession for Senate leadership will play out against the backdrop of Page’s move to the general election.