Negative political campaigning is nothing new. In the presidential election of 1800, John Adams’ camp warned Jefferson voters, “Are you prepared to see your dwellings in flames, female chastity violated, and children writhing on the pike?” And in 1828, Adams’ son John Quincy issued a handbill that said, “General [Andrew] Jackson’s mother was a common prostitute.” Believe it or not, I wasn’t around for those dirty campaigns, but I do remember the controversy surrounding LBJ’s 1964 network TV ad that implied a vote for Goldwater would result in nuclear war with Russia and the end of civilization.
And while presidential elections seem to bring out the worst in some candidates, mudslinging also occurs in down-ballot contests. In fact, the stakes are frequently much higher in local races. That’s because state legislators are the folks who draw and redraw district maps, which often pre-determine outcomes and help incumbents remain in office, and that brings me to Republican Sen. Phil Berger and his quest to hold onto power by any means necessary.
Berger has represented Rockingham and Guilford counties for the better part of 25 years, and as Senate president pro tempore, he is considered the most powerful political figure in North Carolina. Again, thanks to gerrymandering, Berger has always been a shoo-in to win re-election. But 2026 is different. For the first time ever, Berger is being challenged by a powerful opponent within his own party, and for the first time ever, he is running scared.
Berger’s primary opponent is the popular, long-serving Rockingham Sheriff Sam Page, who, according to recent polls, holds a surprisingly comfortable lead over Berger.
That’s why Berger tried desperately to dissuade Page from even filing for office, including allegedly dispatching Sen. Amy Galey to Sam’s house with a letter demanding that the sheriff not run for the legislature. The dissuasion campaign also included a series of scurrilous TV ads accusing Page of everything except the Kennedy assassination. The pressure didn’t work, and Page still filed to run in the March 3 primary. That triggered over a million dollars worth of negative TV ads against Page, and a so-called investigation by the SBI into the way the sheriff had handled vending machine proceeds in his office. Interestingly, the charges against Page were advanced by none other than Rockingham County Commissioner Kevin Berger, son of the incumbent senator. That may not represent a direct conflict of interest, but it sure as hell represents nepotism at its sleaziest. The younger Berger defended his actions, saying, “I have a job to protect the taxpayer.” Thanks, Kevin. We all feel grateful that you’ve uncovered a check for under $60, which Page allegedly used for “Taking people out to eat.”
Last month, the Winston-Salem Journal’s Scott Sexton reported that Berger had about $1.7 million dollars in his campaign coffers while Page had raised a mere $24,000.
That disparity begs the question: Just how desperate do you have to be to spend millions of dollars to hold onto a job that only pays $30,000 per year? The answer is “pretty desperate.”
If Page upsets Berger and wins the primary, it will have been against overwhelming odds. But take heart, Phil. If you lose, maybe Sam will take you out to eat with some of his vending machine money.
January 13, 2026 @ 8:37 am
Berger Desperate to Retain Power
Negative political campaigning is nothing new. In the presidential election of 1800, John Adams’ camp warned Jefferson voters, “Are you prepared to see your dwellings in flames, female chastity violated, and children writhing on the pike?” And in 1828, Adams’ son John Quincy issued a handbill that said, “General [Andrew] Jackson’s mother was a common prostitute.” Believe it or not, I wasn’t around for those dirty campaigns, but I do remember the controversy surrounding LBJ’s 1964 network TV ad that implied a vote for Goldwater would result in nuclear war with Russia and the end of civilization.
And while presidential elections seem to bring out the worst in some candidates, mudslinging also occurs in down-ballot contests. In fact, the stakes are frequently much higher in local races. That’s because state legislators are the folks who draw and redraw district maps, which often pre-determine outcomes and help incumbents remain in office, and that brings me to Republican Sen. Phil Berger and his quest to hold onto power by any means necessary.
Berger has represented Rockingham and Guilford counties for the better part of 25 years, and as Senate president pro tempore, he is considered the most powerful political figure in North Carolina. Again, thanks to gerrymandering, Berger has always been a shoo-in to win re-election. But 2026 is different. For the first time ever, Berger is being challenged by a powerful opponent within his own party, and for the first time ever, he is running scared.
Berger’s primary opponent is the popular, long-serving Rockingham Sheriff Sam Page, who, according to recent polls, holds a surprisingly comfortable lead over Berger.
That’s why Berger tried desperately to dissuade Page from even filing for office, including allegedly dispatching Sen. Amy Galey to Sam’s house with a letter demanding that the sheriff not run for the legislature. The dissuasion campaign also included a series of scurrilous TV ads accusing Page of everything except the Kennedy assassination. The pressure didn’t work, and Page still filed to run in the March 3 primary. That triggered over a million dollars worth of negative TV ads against Page, and a so-called investigation by the SBI into the way the sheriff had handled vending machine proceeds in his office. Interestingly, the charges against Page were advanced by none other than Rockingham County Commissioner Kevin Berger, son of the incumbent senator. That may not represent a direct conflict of interest, but it sure as hell represents nepotism at its sleaziest. The younger Berger defended his actions, saying, “I have a job to protect the taxpayer.” Thanks, Kevin. We all feel grateful that you’ve uncovered a check for under $60, which Page allegedly used for “Taking people out to eat.”
Last month, the Winston-Salem Journal’s Scott Sexton reported that Berger had about $1.7 million dollars in his campaign coffers while Page had raised a mere $24,000.
That disparity begs the question: Just how desperate do you have to be to spend millions of dollars to hold onto a job that only pays $30,000 per year? The answer is “pretty desperate.”
If Page upsets Berger and wins the primary, it will have been against overwhelming odds. But take heart, Phil. If you lose, maybe Sam will take you out to eat with some of his vending machine money.