Meet Spider: Teacher, Coach, Neighbor, Candidate

41 years in North Carolina

I’m Robert “Spider” Thompson, a lifelong western Iredell County resident, a retired public school teacher (36 years), coach, and athletic administrator who has spent my life serving North Carolina’s students and families.

Meet Your Candidate | Spider for NC House

EDUCATION

Emory & Henry University, Emory, VA, BA, 1984

Voter Guide Profile for Robert "Spider" Thompson

I’ve been married to my wife, Rhonda, for 40 years. I’m a proud father to Jared and my daughter-in-law, Amanda, and “Popie” to Sol and Sophia.

Family and community are at the heart of everything I do.

Robert “Spider” Thompson is from western Iredell County, where he has been a lifelong resident. He earned a bachelor's degree from Emory & Henry University. He has been married to his wife, Rhonda, for 40 years and has a son and two grandchildren.

Robert "Spider" Thompson - iVoterGuide

Robert is a retired public school teacher. He also worked as a coach and athletic administrator.

In the 2010 elections, Thompson ran for the North Carolina House of Representatives and won the seat for District 79. He served one term before being defeated in the 2012 elections. During his time in office, Thompson focused on issues such as education, economic development, and public safety.

Robert Thompson (North Carolina) - Ballotpedia

Robert Thompson (North Carolina)Robert Thompson is a former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 79 from 2011 to 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party.Thompson was born on December 12, 1960, in North Carolina.

Robert previously served as the North Carolina state representative for District 79 from 2011 to 2013. He was elected in 2010, served one term, and was defeated in the 2012 election.

2026 North Carolina General Election

Fixing harmful work-requirement rules: New federal work requirements now apply to groups that were previously exempt, including older adults up to 64 and parents of teenagers. NC estimates suggest tens of thousands of North Carolinians could lose benefits due to paperwork and reporting burdens, not because they’re ineligible, but because the process itself is the barrier. I’ll push the state to simplify verification and reduce red tape so eligible families and seniors don’t fall through the cracks.

Issues | Spider for NC House

Supporting food banks and pantries on the front lines: As benefits shrink, food banks across the state are seeing record demand. I’ll fight for state investment in emergency food assistance infrastructure so our local food banks and pantries aren’t left to absorb a federal funding gap on their own.

A housing shortage pricing families out: North Carolina’s median home price now tops $450,000, roughly double what the average household can afford, and the state faces a projected shortage of 760,000 homes by 2029. I’ll push to speed up home construction and cut red tape that’s slowing it down.

Helping young adults finally leave the nest: Nearly half of young adults nationally are now living with their parents, not from a lack of ambition, but because rents and home prices have outpaced their paychecks. I’ll fight for starter-home incentives, first-time buyer assistance, and zoning reforms that make smaller, more affordable homes easier to build.

Protecting renters, too: Rents are up roughly 30% over five years, while affordable rental units keep disappearing. I’ll push for real investment in affordable housing, not just market-rate development that leaves working families behind.

Plans to simplify Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program verification and reduce administrative barriers for eligible families and seniors.

Plans state investment in emergency food-assistance infrastructure for local food banks and pantries.

Plans to speed home construction by reducing regulatory barriers.

Plans to increase investment in affordable housing instead of investing only in market-rate development.

- Plans to simplify Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program verification and reduce administrative barriers for eligible families and seniors.
- Plans state investment in emergency food-assistance infrastructure for local food banks and pantries.
- Plans to speed home construction by reducing regulatory barriers.
- Plans to increase investment in affordable housing instead of investing only in market-rate development.

Economy

As of August 20, 2026, Robert "Spider" Thompson’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Energy & the Environment

Mental health and behavioral health access: Too many families can’t find a counselor, psychiatrist, or treatment bed anywhere near home. I’ll push to expand behavioral health funding and telehealth access so mental health care isn’t a luxury reserved for those who can travel or pay out of pocket.

Ending the waitlist crisis: Nearly 19,000 North Carolinians with disabilities are stuck on the waitlist for essential Medicaid waiver services, with waits now stretching close to a decade or more. I’ll fight to fund significantly more waiver slots every budget cycle until this waitlist shrinks for good.

Protecting Medicaid expansion: North Carolina’s Medicaid expansion has covered a significant share of the state’s population since it took effect in late 2023, and it’s now under direct threat. Federal cuts passed by Congress could force hospitals to absorb far more uncompensated care, and analysts warn dozens of NC hospitals are now at risk of closing. I’ll fight in Raleigh to protect this coverage and push back against policies, like burdensome work-requirement paperwork, that would kick eligible people off their insurance for no good reason.

Defending Medicaid: Nearly every one of these programs runs through Medicaid. I’ll fight cuts that would make these already-long waitlists even longer.

Saving our rural hospitals: Rural hospitals across North Carolina are closing or cutting services like maternity care and behavioral health, in part because Medicare and Medicaid make up a large share of their patient revenue. I’ll fight for state investment that keeps these doors open, because “can my family see a doctor here” shouldn’t determine whether a community can survive.

Addressing the doctor and nurse shortage: Rural North Carolina doesn’t have enough nurses or doctors, and it’s getting worse. I’ll support loan repayment and residency incentive programs that get more medical professionals into underserved counties, not just our cities.

Plans to expand behavioral-health funding and telehealth access.

Plans to expand funding for Medicaid waiver slots for people with disabilities.

Seeks to expand funding for Medicaid waiver slots for people with disabilities.

Plans to protect Medicaid expansion and oppose paperwork for work requirements that could remove eligible people from coverage.

Plans for state investment to keep rural hospitals open.

Supports loan-repayment and residency incentives to place more medical professionals in underserved counties.

- Plans to expand behavioral-health funding and telehealth access.
- Seeks to expand funding for Medicaid waiver slots for people with disabilities.
- Plans to protect Medicaid expansion and oppose paperwork for work requirements that could remove eligible people from coverage.
- Plans for state investment to keep rural hospitals open.
- Supports loan-repayment and residency incentives to place more medical professionals in underserved counties.

Healthcare

Catawba, NC – U.S. Term Limits (USTL), the leader in the national, non-partisan movement to limit terms for elected officials, is gathering support from state lawmakers across the nation. Its mission is to get 34 states to apply for an amendment proposal convention specific to term limits on Congress. 2026 North Carolina state house candidate, Spider Thompson (district 89), has committed support for term limits on Congress by signing the term limits convention pledge. Previously, Representative Mitchell Setzer also signed the pledge. The U.S. Term Limits pledge is provided to candidates and members of state legislatures. It reads, “I pledge that, as a member of the state legislature, I will cosponsor, vote for, and defend the resolution applying for an Article V convention for the sole purpose of enacting term limits on Congress.”

Spider Thompson Pledges to Support Congressional Term Limits

Fighting for fair representation: Voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around. I’ll support fair, transparent redistricting processes and oppose maps drawn to protect politicians instead of reflecting the will of voters.

Pledges to cosponsor, vote for, and defend a resolution for an Article V convention on congressional term limits.

Supports transparent redistricting processes and opposes electoral maps drawn to protect incumbents.

- Supports congressional term limits.
- Supports transparent redistricting processes and opposes electoral maps drawn to protect incumbents.

Voting & Elections

Public Safety

Finishing what Leandro started: For over 30 years, the courts recognized that North Carolina was failing to provide every child a sound, basic education. In April 2026, the NC Supreme Court dismissed the case on procedural grounds — without touching that constitutional right itself, and handed the responsibility for funding our schools back to the legislature. The courts can no longer force the issue. That means it’s on us now. I’ll fight in Raleigh to deliver the funding and reforms the Leandro plan called for, better teacher pay, smaller class sizes, and resources for our neediest districts, because our kids can’t wait another 30 years for the legislature to do what’s right.

Teacher pay and retention: NC continues to rank near the bottom nationally for teacher pay. Low salaries and high workloads are driving experienced educators out of the classroom just when students need them most. I’ll fight for real, sustained raises that keep good teachers in North Carolina schools.

School safety and student wellbeing: I’ll advocate for adequate school counselors and mental health resources, and for keeping decisions about our classrooms in the hands of educators and parents, not political agendas from Raleigh.

Ending vouchers for all but the neediest families: North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship program has grown into a universal program, sending public dollars to private schools regardless of family income. I’ll fight to restore an income cap so that vouchers are limited to families at or below 185% of the federal poverty line, the same threshold used for free and reduced-price school lunch – so households making six figures are no longer using public dollars for private tuition. This applies to current recipients as well as new applicants, and redirects the savings back into fully funding our public schools.

Career and technical education: Having worked in athletics and coaching, I’ve seen how trade, technical, and vocational pathways change lives for students who aren’t headed straight to a four-year degree. I’ll support expanding CTE programs and community college partnerships.

Plans to fund the Leandro plan's reforms, including higher teacher pay, smaller classes, and resources for high-need districts.

Wants higher teacher pay, smaller classes, and resources for high-need districts.

Advocates for school counselors and mental-health resources, with classroom decisions made by educators and parents.

Plans to limit private-school vouchers to families earning no more than 185% of the federal poverty line.

Supports expanding career and technical education programs and community-college partnerships.

- Wants higher teacher pay, smaller classes, and resources for high-need districts.
- Advocates for school counselors and mental-health resources, with classroom decisions made by educators and parents.
- Plans to limit private-school vouchers to families earning no more than 185% of the federal poverty line.
- Supports expanding career and technical education programs and community-college partnerships.

Education

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Facebook

Robert "Spider" Thompson

- Plans to protect Medicaid expansion and oppose paperwork for work requirements that could remove eligible people from coverage.
- Plans for state investment to keep rural hospitals open.
- Supports loan-repayment and residency incentives to place more medical professionals in underserved counties.

- Supports transparent redistricting processes and opposes electoral maps drawn to protect incumbents.

- Plans to limit private-school vouchers to families earning no more than 185% of the federal poverty line.
- Supports expanding career and technical education programs and community-college partnerships.

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- Your State Representative participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 129 members of the North Carolina House of Representatives. The North Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Representative drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Representative can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Representative is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- State Representatives are elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

Your representative and state lawmaker in North Carolina House of Representatives.