North Carolina Senate leader Republican Phil Berger, who touted Donald Trump’s endorsement throughout his campaign, conceded defeat Tuesday in his primary election in a race he lost by just 23 votes.
Berger, a powerful figure in state politics, and Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page were separated by just two votes when unofficial results first came in for the Greensboro-area seat on election night. A machine recount and a separate hand recount of ballots in some counties affirmed the 23-vote loss for the incumbent.
Page is expected to win the Republican-leaning district in November.
Yeah, he’s still a Republican. This isn’t the same as the seat flipping but it’s always nice to see Trump’s influence become less and less effective.