(The Center Square) – Sam Page, the Rockingham County Sheriff and candidate to unseat the president pro tempore in the North Carolina Senate, rejected President Donald Trump’s offer of a job in Washington and will continue his campaign.
Trump, the second-term Republican president carrying the Tarheel State each of the last three cycles, late Wednesday evening gave unquestioned endorsement to Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham. He also spoke highly of Page and offered him an unspecified job.
“I appreciate President Donald J. Trump’s kind words and his offer to have me join him in Washington,” Page wrote on social media. “But I’m committed to upholding conservative values here in North Carolina and ending the corruption and liberal policies Phil Berger has pushed for years. I will defeat Phil Berger on March 3.”
District 26 encompasses Rockingham County, and most of Guilford County outside of Greensboro. Berger is in his 13th term and has been president pro tempore since Republicans gained a majority in the 2010 midterms.
March 3 is the Super Tuesday primaries, and Nov. 3 is the general election.
According to Ballotpedia, Trump’s endorsement success rate in primaries was 96% (of 270) in 2024, 93% (of 241) in 2022, 97% (of 121) in 2020 and 95% (of 37) in 2018. The general election rate is a definite notch below at 89% (of 288) in 2024, 83% (of 254) in 2022, 78% (of 182) in 2020, and 59% (of 95) in 2018.
Berger, in response, wrote a thank you to the president “for your complete and total endorsement. I’m honored to receive it.”
Trump called Berger a highly respected leader, said he had helped deliver wins for the administration in elections and in “fighting tirelessly to grow the economy, cut taxes and regulations, advance made in the USA, unleash energy dominance” and champion school choice.
The president also noted endorsements from U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., and Republican North Carolina U.S. Reps. Virginia Foxx, Addison McDowell and David Rouzer.
“Sam Page is great, he has been a longtime supporter, but I really want him to come work for us in Washington, D.C., rather than further considering a run against Phil,” Trump wrote. “Both are such outstanding people.”
