A week in, campaign battle between Senate candidates over casinos heats up — CDC Gaming

One week in, the primary fight between Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page and Senate leader Phil Berger is intensifying.

The issue at hand — the effort by Berger and other GOP lawmakers to open the state to more casinos in 2023, and the future of any casino or other gambling legislation after the proposal was shelved — has been one of the main points of contention between Page and Berger. Page announced last week that he is challenging the powerful lawmaker for his Senate seat next year.

Earlier this week, Berger told reporters that he isn’t working on any casino legislation and it isn’t “something that will see the light of day as far as the legislative session we’re in.” Page, who joined local residents from Berger’s home county in speaking against the proposal at the General Assembly two years ago, said Thursday he’s skeptical that the issue is fully off the table.