Posted on 03/04/2026 2:22:55 AM PST by cotton1706
By a margin of two votes, North Carolina's most powerful politician is losing a primary election to his home county's sheriff.
With all precincts reporting Tuesday night, Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page had recorded 13,077 votes. Senator Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, had recorded 13,075 votes.
If the race is within 1% — and this one certainly is — the losing candidate can request a recount. There are also outstanding provisional ballots and military and overseas ballots that could still be added to the total.
"Every vote counts," Berger told assembled media after the results came in. "We will continue through the process until we know what the results are."
A recount request must be filed by no later than noon on the second business day after the canvass, so noon on Tuesday, March 17.
"A win is a win," Page told assembled media. "A win is a win, and you know what, we'll get the rest of those votes in and I feel confident they're going to help additional and we're going to take this on to November."
Berger is one of the longest-serving Senate president pro tempores in state history, leading the chamber since Republicans seized control of the General Assembly in 2011.
He has been central to virtually all of the GOP-led legislature's efforts to seize further control of the reins of power in North Carolina and reshape the state in their own image. That includes slashing income tax levels, including implementing income tax reduction triggers that have prevented a new comprehensive budget from passing, and giving the General Assembly more control over higher education in the state.
Berger, an Eden attorney, has represented the Rockingham County-centered district in the Senate since 2000.
(Excerpt) Read more at wunc.org ...
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
OMG.
Sam Page would be a disaster...
I do not understand the power of sheriffs.
What is the local story? Why would Mr. Page be a “disaster”? Apparently alot of folks disagree and don’t want the lawyer to win.
Lots of results from lots of states. I can’t tell if the GOP is becoming more MAGA and less RINO or if perhaps Soros money is managing wins by bad Republicans to damage our future. An overall assessment of where the country stands as we head toward mid-terms would be good to know.
When is Soros ever going to be dealt with? Or, when will the grim reaper finally make him take his dirt nap?
Based on the primary elections held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas, both parties saw significant, yet different, types of gains and victories, with a particularly high-turnout performance for Democrats in Texas.
Democratic Party Gains & Victories:
Texas Senate Primary: State Rep. James Talarico won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett in a high-profile race.
Texas Governor: State Rep. Gina Hinojosa won the Democratic nomination for governor, setting up a matchup against incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Texas House (Dist. 15): Singer Bobby Pulido won the Democratic primary in Texas’ 15th Congressional District.
High Voter Turnout: Early voting data in Texas showed that the Democratic primary slightly led in total ballots cast, reflecting high enthusiasm among their base.
Arkansas Flip: Democrats flipped a legislative seat in Arkansas, with Alex Holladay winning the House District 70 special election.
Republican Party Gains & Victories:
Texas Statewide Dominance: Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick secured easy, overwhelming victories in their respective primaries,, positioning them for fourth terms.
North Carolina Senate: Former RNC Chair Michael Whatley won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat, backed by Donald Trump.
NC House (Dist. 1): Laurie Buckhout won the GOP primary, setting up a competitive race to flip the 1st Congressional District, a key focus of the Republican-led redistricting.
Incumbent Upsets: In a sign of internal party shifts, Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw lost his primary to challenger Steve Toth.
Runoff Situations: High-profile Republicans, including Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton, were forced into runoffs, indicating intense internal battles.
Key Takeaways:
Texas: Democrats gained momentum with high voter turnout and the victory of Talarico, while incumbent Republicans like Abbott solidified their control.
North Carolina: Republicans consolidated support behind Trump-backed candidates in key races, aiming to protect their state majority.
Arkansas: Republicans secured easy wins in key statewide primaries (e.g., Sen. Tom Cotton), despite losing one special election seat.
Great summary, thank you
Adam Wagner is an editor/reporter with the NC Newsroom, a journalism collaboration expanding state government news coverage for North Carolina audiences. The collaboration is funded by a two-year grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)
probably expplains
Berger is one of the longest-serving Senate president pro tempores in state history, leading the chamber since Republicans seized control of the General Assembly in 2011.
y/v/w
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.