Berger allied RINO PACs spending big bucks across North Carolina against conservatives | Eastern NC Now

RINO political action committees affiliated with RINO state senate boss Phil Berger are spending lots of money across North Carolina to defeat conservatives in both the House and Senate.  The word around filing time was that Berger was going to be doing this, but he is using vehicles different that his usual ones.

Berger was the godfather of trying to spread casinos across our state, so it is not surprising that much of this money is coming in through two dark money PACs funded by the gambling industry.  One calls itself Win for America and the other calls itself the American Conservative Fund. If they were honest, they would call the latter American Casino Fund.  In past elections, casino money appeared as direct contributions to pro-casino legislators.  This time, it is directed at independent PAC advertising against conservatives or promoting establishment moderates.

Another Berger-affiliated PAC is the NC Ag Action PAC,  which shares offices and leaders with an NGO that was active in trying to put eastern NC shrimpers out of business,, a Berger backed scheme.  Every dollar they received in the last two campaign reports came from the NC Ag Partnership, which is a "dark money" group that does not file reports on where its money came from for political contributions.

In the Senate, these Berger-affiliated PACs are in at least three races.  They are pumping money heavily into trying to prop up Berger himself, who is trailing in the polls to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page.  They are also active in trying to block conservative retired Superior Court Judge Jerry Tillet in the open 1st Senate District north and east of Beaufort County.  Jimmy Dixon recruited a big farmer with no political background to run against Tillet.  Berger apparently fears, and probably correctly, that Judge Tillet would not be his yes-man.  In Cabarrus County, they are attacking Senator Chris Measmer, who was chosen by local Republicans to fill a vacancy, and who, again, is apparently not a Berger approved yes-man.  The Berger affiliated PACs are backing former State Rep. Kevin Crutchfield, who was previously voted out of office by Cabarrus Republicans in a primary for being a liberal RINO.

Berger is also trying to shoot down a group of conservative leaders in the NC House who have blocked some of his liberal legislation such as his casino bill and his bill to ban shrimping.  Local conservative legislator Keith Kidwell is one of Berger's targets in the House.  It is not just incumbent conservatives that the Berger aligned PACs are attacking. There is at least one open seat House race in Lee and Moore counties where the Berger PACs are pushing an establishment moderate against conservative Lee County School Board member Sherry Lynn Womack.  Knowing Mrs. Womack, a retired army colonel, is a strong conservative who would not bow down to Berger is apparently enough for them to go after her even in an open seat race.

Berger is known for his Tammany Hall style corrupt politics in the Senate, where he has made everything "pay for play".  He is now trying to also extend his sway over the NC House, which is much more honest and operates more on principle.

https://dailyhaymaker.com/dark-gambling-money-attacking-incumbent-gop-state-senator-in-cabarrus-county/

https://dailyhaymaker.com/details-on-the-possible-motive-behind-the-dark-gambling-money/

https://dailyhaymaker.com/dark-covert-gambling-money-in-johnston-county-too/

https://dailyhaymaker.com/gambling-industry-meddling-in-nc-primaries/