Top contenders emerge in N.C. GOP race to replace Phil Berger
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From left, Republican state Senate leaders Mike Lee, Phil Berger and Ralph Hise at the Legislative Office Building in Raleigh last fall. Photo: Travis Long/The News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
The behind-the-scenes jostling to replace Phil Berger as leader of the North Carolina Senate is now out in the open, a day after he conceded primary defeat to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page.
Why it matters: Berger's long tenure has shaped Republican power in Raleigh, and his successor will determine whether that influence — and party unity — holds.
Between the lines: Berger has been Senate president pro tempore since 2011, when Republicans rode the Tea Party wave and cemented GOP control of the state General Assembly that continues to this day. Over the years, Berger has led the Senate with a top-down approach, becoming arguably the most influential Republican and politician in the state.
- Whether someone else can wield that level of influence is an open question facing the party, which holds a near-supermajority over Democrats in Raleigh.
- They will need to be adept at raising money to maintain that advantage, after Senate Republicans spent heavily on Berger's primary.
What they're saying: "We do not know what it's like to have Republican control [in North Carolina] without Phil Berger in control of that party," Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University, tells Axios.
- "Phil Berger has kept a more disciplined caucus than any leader I can think of," he adds.
What we're watching: Berger hasn't left yet — he will be a member of the state Senate until January.
- It remains to be seen how his loss will affect his leadership in his remaining time and whether it will diminish his influence. The state still has yet to finalize a budget, and the ticking clock on Berger's reign will weigh heavily on negotiations with the state House.
What's next: The General Assembly returns to session next month, revealing the leadership changes at play.
Here's who could be the main contenders to be president pro tempore based on their own comments and Axios' conversations with political insiders:
Sen. Michael Lee, of New Hanover County, is currently the Republican majority leader in the Senate and is a close lieutenant of Berger.
- He is a lawyer and chairs some of the more prominent committees, helping write budgets and shape education policy.
- Picking Lee would carry risks, given that his district includes much of Wilmington, an increasingly purple part of the state. Lee has lost his seat before to a Democrat, though the boundaries have shifted to Republicans' advantage since then.
Sen. Todd Johnson, who represents part of Union and Cabarrus counties, is one of the majority whips and a name that is gaining momentum behind the scenes.
- He has been in the Senate since 2019 and is putting his name in contention to be the next Senate leader, WBT News in Charlotte reported.
- Some view Johnson as a contender who's gaining momentum because, while he is close to Berger, he was not one of his closest allies in the Senate, making him more of a new voice than Berger's top assistants.
Sen. Ralph Hise, who is from Mitchell County and represents several mountainous counties, is deputy president pro tempore and another close ally of Berger.
- Hise is the second-highest-ranking senator and another top budget writer. He claimed credit for the recent congressional map redraw at a time when Berger was being accused of promising President Trump redistricting in exchange for an endorsement.
- Hise told WRAL that he intends to seek the top job in the Senate.
Sen. Brent Jackson, who represents Jones, Duplin, Pender, Bladen and Sampson counties in eastern North Carolina, is one of the longest-serving members in the Senate.
- He's served eight terms in the Senate and chairs influential committees, such as the Appropriations/Base Budget Committee and the Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee.
- While he is one of the elder statesmen of the General Assembly, he currently does not hold a leadership position.
Sen. Amy Galey, whose district spans Alamance and Randolph counties, is the other majority whip who could be under consideration.
- She is considered one of Berger's strongest allies and is the only woman in Senate Republican leadership.
- Notably, she tried to convince Page to drop out of his primary against Berger.
Context: While Hise, Johnson and Lee are considered front-runners for the job, Jackson and Galey aren't.