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Phil Berger (politician)

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Phil Berger
President pro tempore of the North Carolina Senate
Assumed office
January 26, 2011
Preceded byMarc Basnight
Minority Leader of theNorth Carolina Senate
In office
January 1, 2005 – January 1, 2011
Preceded byPatrick J. Ballantine
Succeeded byMartin Nesbitt
Member of theNorth Carolina Senate
Assumed office
January 1, 2001
Preceded byDon W. East
Constituency12th district(2001–2003)
26th district(2003–2019, 2023–present)
30th district(2019–2023)
Personal details
Born
Philip Edward Berger

(1952-08-08)August 8, 1952(age 71)
New Rochelle, New York,U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpousePatricia Hays
Children3, includingPhil Jr.
EducationDanville Community College
Averett University(BA)
Wake Forest University(JD)
Websitehttps:// ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/S/64

Philip Edward Berger(born August 8, 1952) is aRepublicanmember of theNorth Carolina General Assemblyrepresenting the state's thirtieth Senate district, which includesCaswell,Rockingham,Stokes,andSurrycounties.[1]

Born inNew York,Berger was first elected to theNorth Carolina Senatein 2000. He became minority leader in 2004, and in 2010, he was selected by his fellow Republicans as their choice for the nextSenate President Pro Tem.[1][2]Berger was officially elected president Pro Tem when the legislature opened on January 26, 2011.[3]

Early life and education[edit]

Berger was born inNew Rochelle, New York.He graduated fromGeorge Washington High SchoolinDanville, Virginia,in 1970 and studied briefly atDanville Community College.Berger earned a bachelor's degree insociologyfromAverett College[4]in 1980 and aJ.D.degree fromWake Forest University School of Law[4]in 1982, after which he entered law practice.

Voting rights[edit]

Voter ID laws[edit]

In 2016, Berger supportedvoter ID legislation.TheFourth Circuit Court of Appealsdeemed the laws to "target African Americans with almost surgical precision[5]in an opinion written byDiana Motz,an appointee of President Bill Clinton. Berger criticized the ruling as a "decision by three partisan Democrats."[6]Democratic Presidents appointed the three judges working on the case; 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.[7]

In 2018, a referendum for a Constitutional amendment was approved by a majority of voters.[8]Berger voted to pass legislation that would enroll the amendment later in the year during a lame-duck session.[9]

In 2019, a North Carolina judge offered an opinion that the General Assembly was illegally constituted and unable to make law.[10]However, the Governor enrolled the amendment, which remains a portion of the Constitution. Further court proceedings are underway.[11]

COVID-19 pandemic[edit]

During theCOVID-19 pandemic,Berger led Republican opposition to North Carolina Board of Elections recommendations to make voting by mail easier.[12]

Personal life[edit]

He is married to Patricia Hays;[4]they have three children,Philip Jr.,Kevin, and Ashley, as well as four grandchildren.

References[edit]

  1. ^ab"Senator Phil Berger (Republican, 2009-2010 Session)".North Carolina General Assembly.RetrievedSeptember 10,2010.
  2. ^News & Observer: Phil Berger picked by GOP for top NC Senate jobArchivedNovember 22, 2010, at theWayback Machine
  3. ^"WRAL /Associated Press: GOP-led legislature begins with budget, maps ahead".Wral. January 26, 2011.RetrievedDecember 20,2012.
  4. ^abc"Board of Visitors - Directory".University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.RetrievedSeptember 10,2010.
  5. ^Court documentelectionlawblog.org
  6. ^"US 4th Circuit overturns NC voter ID law | News & Observer".Archived fromthe originalon July 30, 2016.
  7. ^Liptak, Adam; Wines, Michael (May 15, 2017)."Strict North Carolina Voter ID Law Thwarted After Supreme Court Rejects Case".The New York Times.
  8. ^"NC voters approve 4 constitutional amendments, including Voter ID".ABC11 Raleigh-Durham.RetrievedApril 20,2024.
  9. ^"NC lame duck session begins, with voter ID the chief task".
  10. ^"North Carolina voter ID law struck down".
  11. ^"NC GOP appeals decision tossing mandatory voter ID amendment".February 26, 2019.
  12. ^Harrison, Steve (April 2020)."Top NC Republican Dismisses Ideas To Make Mail Voting Easier".wunc.org.RetrievedApril 4,2020.

External links[edit]

  1. Gordon, Michael; Price, Mark S. (March 26, 2016)."Understanding HB2: North Carolina's newest law solidifies state's role in defining discrimination".Charlotte Observer.RetrievedApril 20,2024.
  2. Jeff Tiberii (April 1, 2016)."Sifting Through The Facts On House Bill 2".wunc.org.RetrievedApril 20,2024.
  3. Red Ventures reconsiders job growth at Charlotte office after HB 2bizjournals April 2016
  4. "New York, four cities ban government travel to NC over LGBT law".Raleigh News & Observer.March 29, 2016.RetrievedApril 20,2024.
  5. NCAA basketball tournamentnewsobserver
  6. Market press releasehighpointmarket.org
  7. Market economic impact analysisduke.edu
North Carolina Senate
Preceded by Member of theNorth Carolina Senate
from the12th district
2001–2003
Served alongside:Virginia Foxx 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of theNorth Carolina Senate
from the26th district
2003–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of theNorth Carolina Senate
from the30th district
2019–2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of theNorth Carolina Senate
from the26th district
2023–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Minority Leader of theNorth Carolina Senate
2005–2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President pro tempore of the North Carolina Senate
2011–present 		Incumbent
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