Phil Berger aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand — Trump ???
I’ve been hearing an interesting little anecdote around the state politics arena for weeks now. The Sam Page for NC Senate campaign has apparently decided to take that anecdote public and above-radar:
WRAL , as usual, only has part of the story. From what I understand, it may well be correct that Berger himself has not made the ask for the endorsement. But he’s not denying that someone close to him is making the ask for him.
What I understand is that a prominent Raleigh lobbyist we all know and, um, *love* — who also happens to be a former Berger aide — has a close personal relationship with presidential son Donald Trump, Jr.
My understanding is that relationship is regularly being utilized to influence The White House’s actions in regard to North Carolina politics.
Phil Berger is in serious danger of losing reelection in 2026 to fellow Republican and incumbent Rockingham County sheriff Sam Page.
The establishment is already trying to use The White House and the Trump name to prop up their weak choice for US senator. It’s not a stretch that they might do the same to defend their beleaguered ally in the North Carolina Senate.
Sam Page will definitely be the stronger GOP candidate in the general election. In addition to the dissatisfaction that runs pretty wide within the GOP about Berger, a lot of independent voters are more and more weary of him and his machine. Many of them voted Democrat rather than for Berger in the 2024 election making it the closest in years, even with Trump at the top of the ballot. The same will happen in 2026, only I suspect still more independents will shift, along with more Republicans sitting it out rather than voting Berger. In spite of all the money he can throw at the election, Berger’s seat stands a serious hazard of going to the Democrats unless Page is the GOP candidate.
Clarification:
In the 2024 election, Berger’s performance at the polls was the weakest seen in years, most likely because independents, who voted for Trump at the top of the ballot, voted Democrat when they came to the Berger check box. My apologies for the confusion.