Philip E. Berger


Philip Edward Berger is a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's twenty-sixth Senate district, including constituents in Guilford and Rockingham counties.
An attorney born in New York, Berger was first elected to the North Carolina Senate in 2000. He became minority leader in 2004, and in 2010, he was selected by his fellow Republicans as their choice for the next Senate President Pro Tem. Berger was officially elected president pro tem when the legislature opened on January 26, 2011.
Berger authored voter ID legislation that a federal appeals court found to have targeted "African-Americans with almost surgical precision." Berger has contested the decision as politically motivated.

Early life and education

Berger was born in New Rochelle, New York; he graduated from George Washington High School in Danville, Virginia in 1970 and studied briefly at Danville Community College. Berger earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Averett College in 1980 and a law degree from Wake Forest University in 1982, after which he entered law practice.

Voting rights

Discriminatory voter ID laws

In 2016, Berger authored voter ID legislation that was deemed to "target African Americans with almost surgical precision. The opinion was written by Diana Motz, a Judge on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and was criticized by Berger as a "decision by three partisan Democrats." The three judges working on the case were appointed by Democratic Presidents; however, only two have been directly associated with the Democratic party.
In 2017, the Supreme Court chose not to take up the case, allowing the lower court's decision to stand.
In 2018, a referendum for a Constitutional amendment was approved by a majority of voters. Berger voted to pass legislation that would enroll the amendment later in the year during a lame-duck session.
In 2019, a North Carolina judge offered an opinion that the General Assembly was illegally constituted and unable to make law. However, the Governor did enroll the amendment and it remains a portion of the Constitution. Further court proceedings are underway.

COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Berger led Republican opposition to North Carolina Board of Elections recommendations to make voting by mail easier.

Personal life

He is married to Patricia Hays; they have three children, Philip Jr., Kevin, and Ashley as well as four grandchildren.