How Phil Berger lost — and what it means
About this episode
The episode discusses Phil Berger's surprising primary loss and its implications for North Carolina politics.
Longtime state Senate leader Phil Berger — one of the most powerful figures in Raleigh for more than a decade — lost his primary by just 23 votes. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, editor Tony Mecia sits down with former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory to unpack one of the most surprising political upsets in recent memory. McCrory walks through how it happened, from local backlash over a proposed casino to shifting voter sentiment and the limits of political influence. They also discuss: What Berger’s loss says about money in politics The role of endorsements (including from President Donald Trump) How power in the state legislature could shift in the months ahead How political dynamics in North Carolina have evolved — and what this moment might signal for future races This conversation was recorded as a webinar on March 26, 2026, as part of PBS Charlotte’s Unspun series, hosted by former Gov. Pat McCrory. Unspun airs at 8 p.m. on Friday nights on PBS Charlotte . An online version, Unspun Unscripted , with viewer questions is on the last Friday of the month at 10 a.m. Today’s episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is sponsored by Child Care Search, a service of…
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