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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPolitical earthquake in N. Carolina. 3 Incumbent Democrats, who vote with GOP, lose their primaries by big margins
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/us/north-carolina-primary-election-legislature.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Q1A.SlaU.aZX-7TphsdVc&smid=url-shareThe American flag cake was about half eaten by the time Phil Berger, North Carolina�s most powerful legislator, stepped to the podium on Tuesday at his election night party.
The leader of the State Senate did not appear in a good mood. He and his allies had pumped a staggering $10 million into his surprisingly tight primary race against Sam Page, a popular small-town sheriff. He had enlisted allies from Raleigh to campaign for him. He had even secured a coveted endorsement from President Trump, who is beloved in this rural stretch of northern North Carolina.
But as of Wednesday, his opponent was clinging to a two-vote lead, with provisional, military and overseas ballots still waiting to be counted. The extremely tight margin underscored the main takeaway for state legislative races across politically purple North Carolina on Tuesday night: This was a primary season about punishing incumbents on both sides of the aisle.
Three veteran Democrats in safe seats who tended to vote with the G.O.P. all lost their primaries by as much as 48 points, as their challengers promised to push back harder against Republicans� steamrolling approach to legislating.
Five Republican incumbents, and possibly Mr. Berger, were also swept from the State Legislature.
riversedge
(80,420 posts)leftstreet
(40,057 posts)Thanks for posting!
eppur_se_muova
(41,660 posts)progressoid
(53,039 posts)Roy Rolling
(7,583 posts)Elections have consequences?
MAGAts think the election is bad, waitll they taste the consequences.
On edit: I discovered the problem. coveted endorsement from President Trump
Coveted by who? The Angel of Death? ETTD
Phoenix61
(18,796 posts)BComplex
(9,858 posts)primary.
moose65
(3,449 posts)His district is the entire state of Pennsylvania.
BComplex
(9,858 posts)Just wasn't thinking.
And....the democratic party needs to run a really good candidate against fetterman in the next primary.
My guess is, they won't. But they should.
ananda
(34,842 posts)He will hopefully be ousted in his next election.
JBTaurus83
(1,123 posts)So now hes going to run for president to either shit on Dems in the primary or run as an independent to screw us in the general.
617Blue
(2,323 posts)maliaSmith
(192 posts)Fetterman or Sweatterman as I call him, was the only Democrat to vote Yes giving Trump war powers. The only Democrat who voted that way. He voted to give up Senate's right to their power to be the only ones to have the power to declare war. He's a Republican just like Manchin and Sinema were. Vote him out Pa voters. He supports the Pedo rapist president.
paleotn
(22,024 posts)Emile
(41,875 posts)claim is the only way we can win in red states, didn't materialize.
No surprise there.
dsc
(53,371 posts)and the GOP races are between conservatives.
Response to dsc (Reply #11)
Emile This message was self-deleted by its author.
Kid Berwyn
(24,023 posts)I dont like pols, especially Democratic, who go along to get along.
BComplex
(9,858 posts)It's amazing what the vote counts look like when musk and trump aren't hacking the central tabulators, huh?
OldBaldy1701E
(10,927 posts)Hassin Bin Sober
(27,443 posts)OldBaldy1701E
(10,927 posts)If that were the case.
There is no telling, but I tried to read it and it put up a window that blocked the article and asked me to 'create an account' to read the 'free article'.
Hassin Bin Sober
(27,443 posts)LiberalArkie
(19,653 posts)An Arkansas man awaiting trial for charges that he killed his daughter�s accused sexual abuser has won the Republican nomination for county sheriff, in a race that�s garnered national attention.
Opps, Forgot this link. https://www.democraticunderground.com/10395278
https://arkansasadvocate.com/2026/03/04/arkansas-man-awaiting-murder-trial-wins-gop-primary-for-county-sheriff/
Emile
(41,875 posts)moonshinegnomie
(3,991 posts)if a guys daughter is being abused and he kills her abuser that would make me probably more likely to vote for them. (depending on teh actual details)
LiberalArkie
(19,653 posts)Callie1979
(1,269 posts)niyad
(131,585 posts)PatSeg
(53,042 posts)This is really impressive. As usual, my optimism is cautious, but it is possible people are finally paying attention.
Arazi
(8,850 posts)We must replace everyone who isnt prepared to do everything necessary to save our democracy.
AllaN01Bear
(29,207 posts)Response to BlueWaveNeverEnd (Original post)
AllaN01Bear This message was self-deleted by its author.
liberalla
(11,004 posts)not fooled
(6,647 posts)My takeaway is that voters were punishing ANY pol who stands with krasnov and his partypukes and puke-supporting Dems, NOT NYTs spin that voters punished incumbents .
moose65
(3,449 posts)The article mentions that 3 Dem and 5 Republican incumbents lost. Then they go into detail about the Democrats and don't even mention the names of the Republicans who lost! Sheesh.
BidenRocks
(3,130 posts)Isolated and forced to listen to YMCA forever.
Don't feel like doing your jerk-off dance any more?
I would say ROT, but that's underway!
Those who say they could never hate, have never known chump!
mwooldri
(10,810 posts)... is IMO the only sure fire way to get change happening around here. That's what I did. Especially as I'm in NC Senate District 26. A district that's basically 60% R, 40% D. So yes, I voted for Sam Page over Phil Berger. Yes come the general election I'm voting for Steve Luking - the Democratic candidate who was the sole candidate and thus no D primary. But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do and crossing the party line to the R side (and holding my nose while doing it, almost literally) is what you gotta do.
And since at last count Page leads Berger by two votes, I kinda like to think it's my wife's vote and my sons vote that put Page over the top.
We will see what the provisional ballots will do, and I'm hoping that Page keeps his lead. Yes he's a Republican. Yes he supports Trump. But a message needs to be sent and heard in Raleigh. If Berger gets by on a thin margin I just think he'll continue on business as usual and not pay his constituents any notice.
brakester
(582 posts)Despicable swamp creature. He has consistently and dishonestly destroyed democracy in NC.
mwooldri
(10,810 posts)And to think that his race spent $10 million. On a State Senate seat. Plus what Super PACS spent. There was no getting away from his ads. I never heard a single Sam Page ad.
Ridiculous amount of money spent. I still have my Brit mindset and knowing the UK spends about $125 million on a general election for all 650 seats....
No wonder democracy is so dodgy in the USA.
FakeNoose
(41,160 posts)It breaks my heart because I'm in PA and I voted for him in 2022. He must realize he has no chance of getting re-elected now. The Repukes don't want him and the Dems are totally fed up with him.
BlueWaveNeverEnd
(13,854 posts)Such a disappointed. I want to send him and his hoodies packing
Skittles
(170,951 posts)I remember at one time thinking he was a cool guy.....that stroke truly did a number on him, turned him RED.
FakeNoose
(41,160 posts)pat_k
(13,097 posts)More people in our party need to be willing to take out the brass knuckles!!
She and the NCDP Executive Council denied them access to VoteBuilder, a crucial voter data and campaign organizing database that the party typically provides to candidates.
And she is only 28. One of our next gen powerhouse democrats who are going to remake the party for the better!
Buzz cook
(2,873 posts)Asked about whether such a policy existed, Montana Brown, the citys director of marketing and economic development, said in an email that there was a city noise ordinance that takes effect at 10 p.m., so most booked events tend to end at that time.
It is unclear if Mr. Bergers party would have broken the ordinance. The room was quiet that night.