Trump's endorsement wasn't enough: North Carolina state Senate Republican leader falls by just 23 votes in the primary

State Sen. Phil Berger had been dominating North Carolina Republican politics for 15 years, a key player in the GOP's electoral dominance in the 2024 election. He also had the public support of President Donald Trump. And yet he lost by a razor-thin 23-vote margin in the primary for a Greensboro-area seat.

The state Senate president pro tempore, an a priori favorite for the race, fell to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, who led a challenging campaign against one of the most powerful politicians in North Carolina. On election night, the two were separated by a distance that could hardly be closer: just two votes. An automatic recount and a hand recount in several counties confirmed Page's razor-thin lead.

“While this was a close race, the voters have spoken, and I congratulate Sheriff Page on his victory,” Berger said in a statement. “Over the past 15 years, 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.”

Page, for his part, appreciated the greeting and recognition from his rival.

“I appreciate Senator Berger’s call earlier today and his concession,” he said. “I’m grateful for his years of service to our state, and I thank him for wishing me the best moving forward.”

Page, favored in the Republican-leaning district, is expected to win the seat in the November election.

Berger's defeat is actually a rarity in Trump's record of endorsements this election cycle. The president had endorsed him in December, calling him a "patriot" who is "doing an incredible job." Although he also praised Page as "great" and described both as "outstanding people" —a sign, in retrospect, that the election race was extremely even and either candidate could win.

Beyond the electoral outcome, Berger's departure leaves a difficult hole for the GOP to fill. He had led the Republican caucus in the state Senate since 2005 and was a central figure in some of the state GOP's most important political moves in the state: the redrawing of the Congress election maps in 2025, which favor Republicans, and a 2024 reform that transferred control over gubernatorial elections to an elections board.

Its decline began, in part, with a 2023 gambling expansion proposal that would have allowed a casino to be built in the district. Although Republicans eventually abandoned the idea, Page's opposition to that project gave him visibility and served as a springboard for his candidacy.