Phil Berger trails by 2 votes in closely watched primary against Sam Page

• Berger has wielded broad influence in Raleigh since leading a Republican takeover of the N.C. General Assembly in 2010.

Zoom in: Page received 13,077 votes in state Senate District 26, which includes rural Rockingham County and a sliver of Guilford County.

• Berger, who got a Trump endorsement and spent more money in the race, received 13,075 votes.

State of play: Those vote totals are unofficial, however, as the county board of elections canvasses the ballots and counts provisional ballots and those from military members and overseas voters.

• The race is also within the threshold of a 1% margin needed for a candidate to call for a recount.

Between the lines: A loss for someone of Berger's stature in the General Assembly is rare, but Page was not a typical challenger in a primary.

• The charismatic, cowboy hat-donning sheriff's name recognition rivaled that of Bergers thanks to being sheriff in Rockingham County for nearly three decades.
• Berger also faced significant local opposition after he introduced a failed effort to bring a casino to Rockingham County in 2023.

What's next: Election workers will conduct a canvass, and official results are certified 10 days after the election, North Carolina law says. Then the losing candidate can request a recount.