End of The Gravy Train? Jones St. mob summoned to Rockingham County to save don Berger-ino

Posted on by

Word hit the streets of Rockingham County early in the week.  Folks who had been feasting – and otherwise living well — during the president pro tem Berger era were being told they need to beat a path to senate district 26 and save their man from his angry, irate constituents and his home county’s sheriff.  That is, if they want the Jones Street spigot kept open for them.

Not long after hearing this, sources within Rockingham County began to see a lot of familiar faces from the General Assembly zoo — lobbyists, elected officials, staffers, as well as various and sundry political hacks.  (At least one lobbyist spotted working for the don in Rockingham County denied vociferously that she was a lobbyist from our state’s capital.  *We hate to break this to you, sweetheart, but the photos taken in Rockingham County certainly do look a lot like the photos of you on your work website.*)

I can imagine it would be a challenge to credibly paint yourself as a man – or woman – of the people when you have lobbyists out there actively campaigning for you.

The district is being bombarded with mail and ads promoting both Phil Berger and Sam Page.  Mostly Berger, though. The pro-Berger advertising is approaching the $8 million mark, and many are expecting it to cross the $10 million threshold before all is said and done.  (Remember, we’re talking NC Senate here, and NOT US Senate.) 

One of the biggest spenders on advertising promoting Berger is a dark money group that appears to be significantly – and mostly – funded by a nationally-renowned company tied to the gambling industry.  

Some of the celebs who we hear have been spotted recently in Rockingham County?  Senate Rules and Finance chairman Bill Rabon.  House speaker Destin Hall. Notorious political hack Nathan Babcock.

Another interesting tidbit being fed to us by our moles on-the-scene is the dramatic uptick in the early voting numbers for Rockingham County.  We’re being told that — so far — Rockingham voters are coming out at a rate two to three times what’s been seen in prior off-year primary voting. We’re told even local elections officials are surprised at the large daily turnout numbers.  By contrast – the numbers in Guilford County are being described as not-exactly-spectacular.  Even pro-Berger folks have admitted Rockingham County looks tough for him, but that the race could be won in the Guilford County portion of the district. .

We’re also hearing some of the other elected *honorables* might be starting to smell blood and begin “measuring for drapes” in the president pro ten’s office suite.  The names we’re hearing most frequently?  Mike Lee (R-Wilmington) and Todd Johnson (R-Union).

The Berger-Page race appears to be sucking up all of the oxygen in the NCGOP field of battle.  We’re hearing from sources tied to other senate incumbents grumbling about how they’re not getting the attention ($$$$) they usually get.  Remember Amy Galey’s warning?  

We’re also hearing that state Rep. Reece Pyrtle (R-Rockingham) and his political career may end up being collateral damage as a result of the Berger-Page war. He has a competitive primary race underway.