Phil Berger
2023 - Present
2025
1
Phil Berger (Republican Party) is a member of the North Carolina State Senate, representing District 26. He assumed office on January 1, 2023. His current term ends on January 1, 2025.
Berger (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the North Carolina State Senate to represent District 26. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024. The Republican primary for this office on March 5, 2024, was canceled.
Berger currently serves as president pro tempore of the North Carolina State Senate.[1]
Biography
Phil Berger earned a B.S. in sociology from Averett University in 1980 and a J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1982. His career experience includes working as an attorney in private practice.[2]
Committee assignments
2015 legislative session
Note: As President Pro Tempore, Berger does not serve on any committees. He appoints Senate members to their respective committees.
2013-2013
Note: As President Pro Tempore, Berger did not serve on any committees. He appointed Senate members to their respective committees.
2011-2012
Note: As President Pro Tempore, Berger did not serve on any committees. He appointed Senate members to their respective committees.
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Berger served on these committees:
| North Carolina committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Appropriations/Base Budget |
| • Commerce |
| • Education/Higher Education |
| • Finance |
| • Judiciary I |
| • Rules and Operations of the Senate |
| • State and Local Government |
| • Transportation |
Issues
Recognition
In May 2011, Governing Magazine named Berger one of 17 "GOP Legislators to Watch." Each of the legislators was selected on the basis of qualities like leadership, ambition, and political potential.[3]
Regulatory Reform
Berger promised at a 2012 meeting of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, as summarized by the Carolina Journal, that regulatory "reforms would continue until regulations in North Carolina are lean, fair, equitable, and help rather than hurt citizens, taxpayers, and business."[4]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: North Carolina State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for North Carolina State Senate District 26
Incumbent Phil Berger, Steve Luking, and Alvin Robinson are running in the general election for North Carolina State Senate District 26 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
 | Phil Berger (R) | |
 | Steve Luking (D)  | |
 | Alvin Robinson (Constitution Party) | |
| ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Steve Luking advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina State Senate District 26.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Phil Berger advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina State Senate District 26.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
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2022
See also: North Carolina State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for North Carolina State Senate District 26
Incumbent Phil Berger defeated Alvin Robinson in the general election for North Carolina State Senate District 26 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Phil Berger (R) | 85.2 | 54,717 |
| Alvin Robinson (Independent) (Write-in) | 2.5 | 1,624 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 12.3 | 7,882 | ||
| Total votes: 64,223 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Phil Berger advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina State Senate District 26.
Campaign finance
2020
See also: North Carolina State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for North Carolina State Senate District 30
Incumbent Phil Berger defeated Wally White in the general election for North Carolina State Senate District 30 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Phil Berger (R) | 68.6 | 68,712 |
 | Wally White (D) | 31.4 | 31,481 | |
| Total votes: 100,193 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Wally White advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina State Senate District 30.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Phil Berger advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina State Senate District 30.
Campaign finance
2018
General election
General election for North Carolina State Senate District 30
Incumbent Phil Berger defeated Jen Mangrum and R. Michael Jordan in the general election for North Carolina State Senate District 30 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Phil Berger (R) | 62.6 | 43,132 |
 | Jen Mangrum (D) | 34.2 | 23,558 | |
 | R. Michael Jordan (L) | 3.2 | 2,182 | |
| Total votes: 68,872 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for North Carolina State Senate District 30
Jen Mangrum advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina State Senate District 30 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Jen Mangrum |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for North Carolina State Senate District 30
Incumbent Phil Berger advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina State Senate District 30 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Phil Berger |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2016
Elections for the North Carolina State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on March 15, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016.[5] The candidate filing deadline was December 21, 2015.[6]
Incumbent Phil Berger ran unopposed in the North Carolina State Senate District 26 general election.[7][8]
| North Carolina State Senate, District 26 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican |  Phil Berger Incumbent (unopposed) | |
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections | ||
Incumbent Phil Berger ran unopposed in the North Carolina State Senate District 26 Republican primary.[9][10]
| North Carolina State Senate, District 26 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Phil Berger Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for the North Carolina State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 28, 2014. Incumbent Phil Berger was unopposed in the Republican primary, while William E. Osborne was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Berger defeated Osborne in the general election.[11][12][13][14]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Phil Berger Incumbent |
59.2% | 40,352 | |
| Democratic | William Osborne | 40.8% | 27,845 | |
| Total Votes | 68,197 | |||
2014
Berger was a potential 2014 Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina.[15][16] He declined to run on September 23, 2013.[17]
2012
Berger defeated Bobby Coffer in the May 8 Republican primary. He defeated Bobby R. Stanley (D) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[18][19]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Phil Berger Incumbent |
61.1% | 58,276 | |
| Democratic | Bobby R. Stanley | 38.9% | 37,092 | |
| Total Votes | 95,368 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Phil Berger Incumbent |
87.1% | 19,414 |
| Bobby Coffer | 12.9% | 2,874 |
| Total Votes | 22,288 | |
2010
Berger won re-election to the North Carolina State Senate District 26. He was unopposed in the general election.[20]
| North Carolina Senate, General Election Results, District 26 (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Phil Berger (R)
|
43,952 | 100% | ||
Berger was unopposed in the primary election on May 4, 2010.[21]
2008
On November 4, 2008, Berger won re-election to the 26th District in the North Carolina State Senate. Berger had no challenger.[22]
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
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2022
Phil Berger did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Phil Berger did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2014
Berger's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[23]
Karriere
- Excerpt: "Small businesses are the engine of job creation. To get our state and our country back on track and back to work, we must leave more money in the private sector. The best way to spur job creation is to cut wasteful government spending, lower taxes, and lessen burdensome regulations."
Budget
- Excerpt: "Families and small business owners who operate on budgets understand this: we have to live within our means. This is the year North Carolina starts doing that. "
Taxes
- Excerpt: "But my Republican colleagues and I understand that North Carolina does not have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem."
Bildung
- Excerpt: "North Carolina must have a robust mix of traditional public schools, charter schools, private schools, and home schools — giving parents and children numerous education options — in order to realize our potential."
Immigration
- Excerpt: "Illegal immigration is wrong. The government owes it to you, the citizens, to protect our borders and enforce laws that prevent illegal immigration."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of North Carolina scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the North Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 11 to October 25.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the North Carolina State Legislature was in session from May 18 to July 1.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the North Carolina State Legislature was in session from January 13 to December 30.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the North Carolina State Legislature was in session from April 28 to September 3. The legislature was in recess from July 8 to September 1 and then reconvened September 2 to September 3.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 9 through August 27.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 10 through July 4.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 11 through June 30. Before the legislature adjourned its regular scheduled session, the legislature scheduled the following additional session dates: August 3, August 18 to August 25, August 28 to August 31, and October 4 to October 17.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from April 25 through July 1.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 14 through September 30.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the General Assembly of North Carolina will be in session from May 14 through a date to be determined by the legislature.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 9 to July 26.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from May 16 to July 3.
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2011
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show]. |
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In 2011, the General Assembly of North Carolina was in session from January 26 to June 18. A special session dealing with redistricting began July 13 and ended July 28.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate North Carolina State Senate District 26 |
Officeholder North Carolina State Senate District 26 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "North Carolina Senate Leadership," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Phil Berger," accessed March 15, 2023
- ↑ Governing, "GOP Legislators to Watch," May 24, 2011
- ↑ Jon Sanders, John Locke Foundation, "Carolina Cronyism: Introduction, Overview, and Reform," July 2012, p. 21
- ↑ The primary for U.S. congressional elections was rescheduled to June 7, 2016, following legal challenges to North Carolina's district maps. State races were unaffected.
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2016 Candidate Filing," archived January 19, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Candidate Listing," accessed August 23, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2016 General Election results lookup," accessd December 21, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Candidate Listing," accessed January 4, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "03/15/2016 Official primary results - Statewide," March 15, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Primary Candidate List Grouped by Contest," accessed March 7, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "General Election Candidate List Grouped by Contest," accessed August 12, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "05/06/2014 Official Primary Election Results - Statewide," accessed December 5, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "11/04/2014 Official General Election Results - Statewide," accessed December 5, 2014
- ↑ Southern Political Report, "North Carolina: GOPers Circling Around Hagan," accessed May 23, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Is Berger hinting at U.S. Senate bid?" September 6, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post, "Republican Phil Berger won’t challenge Sen. Kay Hagan," accessed September 23, 2013
- ↑ North Carolina Board of Elections, "2012 General Election Results," accessed August 14, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Official Primary Election Results," accessed June 18, 2012
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2010 General Election Results," accessed August 14, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2010 Primary Election Results," accessed August 14, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2008 General Election Results," accessed August 14, 2014
- ↑ philberger.com, "Issues," accessed August 18, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Dave Craven (R) |
North Carolina State Senate District 26 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Shirley Randleman (R) |
North Carolina State Senate District 30 2019-2023 |
Succeeded by Steven Jarvis (R) |
| Preceded by - |
North Carolina State Senate District 26 2001-2019 |
Succeeded by - |
