North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger has conceded the March 3 Republican primary for his legislative seat to Sam Page. It’s a move that will shake up power in government in the ninth-largest U.S. state. Berger, the top architect of North Carolina's conservative shift, trailed Page, the Rockingham County sheriff, by a razor-thin margin. Berger conceded on Tuesday after a hand recount of some ballots kept that margin at 23 votes. President Donald Trump had endorsed Berger, who has been Senate leader since 2011. Berger indicated that he will remain a senator and Senate leader through year’s end.
