Phil Berger
2023 - Present
2027
2
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, 2027.
Berger was born in New Rochelle, New York, and grew up in Danville, Virginia.[1] Before going to college, Berger worked in a factory and as a produce manager at Kroger. Berger also attended Danville Community College before transferring to and earning a bachelor's degree in sociology from Averett University in 1980.[2] Berger later earned a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1982.[3]
After graduating from law school, Berger worked at a law firm in Charlotte and clerked for a year at the North Carolina Court of Appeals for Judge Eugene Phillips. In 1984, he joined a law firm in Eden, North Carolina, where he later started the Berger Law Firm with his two sons in 2001.[2]
Berger ran for the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1994 but lost in the Republican primary by seven votes.[1] In 2000, Berger was first elected to the North Carolina Senate. He was later elected minority leader in 2004.[1]
In the 2010 elections, Republicans won majorities in both chambers of the state legislature for the first time in 112 years.[4][1] Berger was elected president pro tempore of the North Carolina State Senate in 2011.[5] Axios Raleigh's Lucille Sherman wrote, "One of the state's most influential figures in recent history, Berger was key in orchestrating the GOP takeover of the state legislature in 2010, and he has led the charge in consolidating the party's power and transforming the state since."[6] Sherman wrote that during Berger's tenure as Senate leader, the legislature, "ushered into law corporate and personal income tax cuts, padded the state's coffers with additional funding, overhauled the state's Medicaid program and expansion of school vouchers, all while maintaining legislative power."[7]
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Berger became the longest actively-serving state senate leader in the country in 2023.[8]According to the Associated Press, "As the only Senate leader since the Republicans took over the chamber in 2011, Berger has been a chief architect of the state’s right-leaning shift on taxes, education and social issues."[9] North Carolina had a divided government for the first two years of Berger's time as Senate president pro tempore, followed by four years of a Republican trifecta during Pat McCrory's (R) term as governor from 2013 to 2017. Democrats won the 2016, 2020, and 2024 gubernatorial elections, giving North Carolina a divided government. Republicans had a veto-proof majority in the Legislature from 2023 to 2024 and from 2017 to 2018. Click here to learn more about veto overrides and conflicts between the North Carolina General Assembly and the governor.
In a March 2025 interview with the Carolina Journal's Brianna Kraemer, Berger said, "Over the decade and a half that has transpired since Republicans took control of the North Carolina General Assembly for the first time in over a century, what we have seen is a real transformation of North Carolina state government, and that transformation has led to a real transformation and really a rebirth of the North Carolina economy. ... My priority, and I think the priority of Senate Republicans, will be to continue those policies that have provided that kind of environment that has made North Carolina attractive to private sector businesses, private sector job growth, and individuals making a decision as to where they want to live, to work, and to raise their families, and decisions made by business owners as to where they want their businesses to be located.”[10]
Biography
Berger was born in New Rochelle, New York, and grew up in Danville, Virginia.[1] Before going to college, Berger worked in a factory and as a produce manager at Kroger. Berger also attended Danville Community College before transferring to and earning a bachelor's degree in sociology from Averett University in 1980.[2] Berger later received a J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1982. His career experience includes working as an attorney in private practice.[11]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
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 |
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 defeated Steve Luking and Alvin Robinson in the general election for North Carolina State Senate District 26 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Phil Berger (R) | 54.1 | 67,081 |
 | Steve Luking (D)  | 41.1 | 51,007 | |
 | Alvin Robinson (Constitution Party) | 4.8 | 6,007 | |
| Total votes: 124,095 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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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
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Berger in this election.
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. | ||||
| 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
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.[12] The candidate filing deadline was December 21, 2015.[13]
Incumbent Phil Berger ran unopposed in the North Carolina State Senate District 26 general election.[14][15]
| 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.[16][17]
| 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.[18][19][20][21]
| 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.[22][23] He declined to run on September 23, 2013.[24]
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.[25][26]
| 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.[27]
| 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.[28]
2008
On November 4, 2008, Berger won re-election to the 26th District in the North Carolina State Senate. Berger had no challenger.[29]
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Phil Berger did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
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:[30]
Jobs
- 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."
Education
- 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 editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
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In 2024, the North Carolina State Legislature was in session from April 24 to December 13.
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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
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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
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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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Assembly, "The Motivations of Phil Berger," February 16, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 EdNC, "President Pro Tempore of the NC Senate Phil Berger," January 14, 2015
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Phil Berger," accessed April 16, 2025
- ↑ WRAL, "GOP-led legislature begins with budget, maps ahead," January 27, 2011
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "North Carolina Senate Leadership," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Axios Raleigh, "North Carolina's top Republican will face a longtime political rival in 2026," February 14, 2025
- ↑ Axious Raleigh, "N.C. lawmaker will be the longest-serving state legislative leader," December 2, 2022
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Are Long-Serving Legislative Leaders a Thing of the Past?" April 10, 2024
- ↑ Associated Press, "North Carolina sheriff to seek state Senate seat now held by powerful Phil Berger," February 13, 2025
- ↑ Carolina Journal, "Berger says NC’s economic transformation ‘didn’t happen by accident,’ eyes more growth amid population surge," March 3, 2025
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Phil Berger," accessed March 15, 2023
- ↑ 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 - |
