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WUNC PoliticsThe WUNCPolitics Podcast is a free-flowing discussion of what we're hearing in the back hallways of the General Assembly and on the campaign trail across North Carolina. Author: WUNC
The WUNC Politics Podcast is a free-flowing discussion of what we're hearing in the back hallways of the General Assembly and on the campaign trail across North Carolina.Sign up for our free, weekly WUNC Politics Newsletter here. Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The ad (and issue) that helped oust Sen. Phil Berger
Thursday, 23 April, 2026
Senate leader Phil Berger lost his primary in March to Rockingham County sheriff Sam Page by just 23 votes. When the margin is that close, every factor that influenced at least 23 voters could be considered the deciding element in the race. Berger’s support for a controversial casino wasn't the only aspect of Berger’s legislative record that faced criticism during the primary.Sheila Mikhail, a prominent biotechnology executive in the Triangle, spent more than $200,000 on the race for a very different reason. She’s been advocating for a bill that would require insurance companies to cover supplemental breast cancer exams. Mikhail blames Berger and the lobbying influence of insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield for keeping the bill from a vote on the Senate floor after it passed the House nearly unanimously. She spoke with WUNC News Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell about her advocacy and why she decided to help Page.
