Longtime sheriff seeks to unseat powerful NC Senate Republican leader

Fewer than 20,000 voters participate in a typical state Senate primary, but GOP primary voters in two counties will have a major impact on the power dynamics in the state legislature.

That’s because Senate leader Phil Berger is facing the toughest race he’s had since he took the leadership role in 2011. Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page is challenging Berger in the Republican primary for a district that includes Rockingham and rural and suburban portions of neighboring Guilford County.

If Page succeeds – and initial polling shows the race is close – the state Senate would have a new leader in 2027 (although it’s unlikely GOP senators would pick Page for the top job). That could shake up the Senate’s ongoing negotiations with Republican House leaders over a budget stalemate and scheduled income tax cuts.

So far, the race is resulting in significant outside spending and lots of attack ads.

The candidates

Phil Berger: Berger is an attorney from the small town of Eden, who highlights his humble beginnings working in a factory before attending law school. He won his first term in the state Senate in 2000, back when Democrats held the majority. He led the Republican caucus when it rode the Tea Party wave to a majority in 2010, and he’s been the Senate leader ever since. His longevity makes him the most powerful politician in North Carolina.

Sam Page: Page was first elected sheriff in Rockingham County in 1998, and he’s a past president of the N.C. Sheriff’s Association. He’s worked in law enforcement since he served as a canine handler in the Air Force in 1975. In 2024, Page ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor. While he finished in fifth place in an 11-candidate Republican primary, he won 56% of the vote in Rockingham and finished first in Guilford County.

Key policy differences

Gambling: Page was a prominent critic of Berger’s push several years ago to allow multiple casinos to open in North Carolina, including one that was proposed for a location in southern Rockingham County. Berger said he saw the proposal as an economic development boost for the area, but he dropped the idea after a major outcry in his home county.

Tax cuts: Page has voiced support for the budget passed by House Republicans, which would delay scheduled income tax cuts that Berger supports. House leaders say inflation makes the changes necessary for a fiscally responsible budget. Berger’s campaign ads stress that the senator led efforts to “cut your taxes in half” and promise further cuts.

Transgender issues: Page is criticizing Berger for agreeing to repeal much of the controversial House Bill 2 “bathroom law” in 2017. Berger, however, is touting his support for more recent legislation that requires transgender athletes to play on teams that match their gender at birth.

Jail safety: Pro-Berger attack ads have highlighted safety problems at the Rockingham County jail, which Page oversees. In 2024, the jail’s insurance company canceled its coverage after 11 inmates died in custody in recent years, many by suicide. The mother of one of those inmates appears in a TV commercial from a pro-Berger PAC, and she says “Sam Page’s incompetence robbed me of my son.”

Key factors in the race

Donald Trump: Trump endorsed Berger not long after the Senate leader answered the president’s call for GOP state legislatures to redraw congressional districts to favor Republicans. Trump’s endorsement has been influential in deciding GOP primary races across the country, but Page is quick to point out that the president’s endorsement message praised him too and offered him a job in Washington. “Both are such outstanding people!” Trump’s social media post said of the candidates.

Outside ad spending: Many ads and mailers that voters in the district are seeing aren’t from the candidates themselves. Multiple groups – some of them set up as “dark money” organizations that don’t have to disclose their donors – are seeking to influence the outcome.

A group called “NC True Conservatives” run by longtime Republican consultant Larry Shaheen has raised $2.8 million for ads attacking Page and promoting Berger. The ads are being produced by two political consultants who previously worked for Berger, Jim Blaine and Ray Martin. Most of the group’s funding comes from the “Good Government Coalition,” which in turn is primarily funded by the Republican State Leadership Committee, the national association for GOP state-level elected officials. Berger serves on the group’s executive committee.

Other pro-Berger ads are coming from an Alexandria, Va.-based group called “American Conservative Fund.” Campaign finance records show that group is largely funded by the sports betting operator Draft Kings (the state Senate under Berger voted to legalize sports betting in 2024).

On Page’s side, a dark money group called “Piedmont Accountability Coalition” is running TV ads against Berger. It’s led by Patrick Sebastian, a GOP consultant whose uncle is former Gov. Pat McCrory. It has not filed any disclosures about who is funding its efforts, but Berger has said he thinks Democrats are involved.

Campaign fundraising: Berger’s campaign has a significant financial advantage over Page. The latest campaign finance reports show Berger raised $684,000 in the second half of 2025 and had $1.58 million on hand entering 2026. About half of that money came from PACs such as those representing business interests like Duke Energy, the NC Chamber, Charter Communications and the NC Homebuilders Association.

Page, meanwhile, raised just $20,900 over the same period and entered 2026 with about $29,000 on hand. One bright spot for Page’s campaign fundraising: He received dozens of contributions from small donors ($50 or less), while Berger listed only four donations in that category on his latest report.