A heavyweight political fight is brewing in Rockingham County

The longtime sheriff is taking on North Carolina’s most powerful legislator. Does Berger even want this fight?

If you live in a city, you probably don’t think much about your county sheriff. But in rural North Carolina, the sheriff is a really big deal.

That’s why Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page’s announcement that he’s challenging Senate leader Phil Berger in 2026 could be a political earthquake.

Berger has led the North Carolina Senate since 2011, quickly becoming the most powerful Republican in the state.

Page, meanwhile, has been sheriff since 1998, building a reputation as a conservative leader on immigration and opioids. Lately, he’s been one of the most outspoken critics of the plan to put casino gambling in Rockingham County, one of Berger’s more controversial pet projects.

Page thought about challenging Berger in 2024 but backed off. Instead, he ran for lieutenant governor, finishing a respectable fifth in a crowded field. This time, he says he’s all in.

Does Page have a shot?

Yes — and Berger knows it.

It’s hard to compare their electoral records directly. Berger hasn’t faced a seriou…