The following article appeared in the March 23, 2026, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C. Sign up for free!
As N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger appears headed for a loss, former Gov. Pat McCrory has some pointed thoughts
It sounds as though there’s not a lot of love lost between Republican former Gov. Pat McCrory and Republican Senate leader Phil Berger, who appears on the verge of losing his Senate seat after a hard-fought and expensive primary.
Berger trails Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page by 23 votes following a machine recount last week and has requested a more detailed recount — which could be a prelude to a court battle.
On his PBS Charlotte talk show, “Unspun,” McCrory on Friday said that Berger is “the most powerful politician in our state” but suggested that he has governed in a way that is unseemly.
“For the last 14 years, Phil Berger has been one of the most dominant figures in state politics,” McCrory said. “He often got his way, regardless of what the governor wanted, me included. … Around Raleigh, lobbyists used to say there was one simple rule: If you wanted to get something done, you wanted Phil Berger on your side, and that often meant donating and hiring former Berger staff members as consultants or lobbyists.”
McCrory also said the $10M spent on supporting Berger in this month’s election came largely from “special interest groups, corporations and political action committees that have benefited from his leadership.”
Though both Republicans, Berger and McCrory were sometimes at odds when McCrory was governor from 2013 to 2017. McCrory sued the General Assembly during his tenure over its efforts to appoint more members to independent commissions. McCrory served as Charlottte’s mayor from 1995 to 2009.
Friday’s episode of “Unspun” also included former Charlotte City Council members Larken Egleston and Tariq Bokhari joining McCrory to analyze the election results and to preview this year’s U.S. Senate race in North Carolina. The Ledger’s Tony Mecia also discussed those issues with McCrory in a separate segment.
You can watch the full episode online. “Unspun” airs Fridays at 8 p.m. on PBS Charlotte.
➡️ Join us Friday online: PBS Charlotte and The Charlotte Ledger are teaming up this Friday (March 27) at 10 a.m. for a special online session called “Unspun Unscripted,” where viewers can ask McCrory questions directly about the news of the day. Register here (for free).