In the Republican primary for State Senate District 26, Senate leader Phil Berger is trailing Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page by just two votes, with all precincts reporting. Results are still unofficial.
Page declared victory Tuesday night.
Berger isn't conceding, saying he wants to see how provisional ballots shake out during the county canvass.
Because the margin is well within North Carolina's recount threshold for non-statewide races, a recount request is very likely.
The district spans Rockingham County and part of Guilford County and leans heavily Republican, meaning whoever wins this primary is the clear front-runner for November.
"Sheriffs still have their own political bases. Even though Berger is from Rockingham County like Page, Page really ran up the numbers. He won the battle for the home county. This could be Titanic. If Page replaces Berger, then there's a huge question as to who leads the Republicans in Raleigh," said Mac McCorkle, a professor of public policy at Duke University.
Because the margin is within North Carolina's recount threshold for non-statewide races, a recount request is very likely once results are certified.