The Political Beat Candidate Guide: North Carolina State House District 89

North Carolina State House District 89 covers parts of Catawba and Iredell counties in the Hickory and Statesville region.

Mitchell Smith Setzer (R)

We will add a response once it is received.

Robert (Spider) Thompson (D)

Why are you running?

I spent 36 years in North Carolina classrooms, served as a coach in several of our public schools, and I’m still on the sidelines at Mooresville High School. I’ve seen what happens when Raleigh invests in our kids and families, and what happens when it doesn’t. This summer and fall, I’ve knocked on more than 1,000 doors across District 89, and I’m hearing the same things from Republicans, Democrats and independents alike: power bills are too high, groceries cost too much, young people can’t afford a home, seniors are worried about their health care and the Social Security and Medicare they’ve worked their whole lives for, and parents want strong public schools for their kids. People are tired of politics as usual and want someone in Raleigh who will actually listen. North Carolina is ranked one of the top two states in the country for business six years running, yet a national study this year ranked us dead last, 50th out of 50, for workers. That gap is exactly what I hear about at the doors. When our state is great for business but worst for the people doing the work, Raleigh has its priorities backwards. District 89 deserves a representative who listens, tells the truth and puts people over politics. That’s why I’m running.

Are you in favor of the three constitutional amendments on North Carolina’s ballot? Why or why not?

No. Our constitution should protect rights, not lock in policies a future legislature can’t adjust when times get hard.

The income tax cap, which my opponent voted to put on the ballot, would permanently limit how the state responds to a recession or a disaster like Helene, putting school and Medicaid funding at risk. Our rate is already scheduled to keep falling under current law; we don’t need to handcuff ourselves.

My opponent is one of the lead sponsors of the property tax amendment, and it doesn’t even say what the limits are. It leaves that to Raleigh to decide later. Our counties pay for school buildings, sheriffs and EMS, and those decisions belong with the local commissioners voters elect. If counties are capped on property taxes, the bills don’t go away. The pressure shifts to sales taxes and fees, which hit working families and seniors on fixed incomes the hardest, including the local sales tax we already pay on groceries. That’s not tax relief; it’s moving the burden onto the people who can least afford it.

On photo ID, I support secure elections, and we already have a voter ID law on the books. Putting it in the constitution makes it harder to fix problems for seniors, people with disabilities and military voters who vote by mail.

What should the state do about data centers?

District 89 lives this issue every day, with Apple in Maiden and Microsoft building in Conover and Maiden. The main benefit these facilities offer our community is their tax base, the revenue that helps pay for our schools, roads and first responders. But the property tax amendment on this year’s ballot would require Raleigh to cap how much our counties can collect, no matter how much new value comes in. That means we could live with the noise, the dust and the strain on our power and water without getting the full return. That’s another reason I oppose the amendment. I’ll also support requiring large data centers to cover the full cost of the power lines, generation and water service they need, so those costs don’t land on our electric bills; publicly report their electricity and water use; use water-saving cooling; and respect the neighbors who live beside them. Communities should have a real say in where these facilities go.

CMS has faced numerous controversies over the past month. What, if anything, should state lawmakers do?

This is first and foremost a local matter. CMS isn’t in District 89, and its problems belong with the Mecklenburg school board, the voters who elect it, and the agencies already doing their jobs. The State Auditor, the SBI and the State Board of Education are all reviewing what happened, and they should be allowed to finish and follow the facts. Anyone who misused public money should be held accountable. What the legislature should not do is jump into a local dispute for political points, use one district’s problems as an excuse for a takeover, or punish public schools statewide. My job in Raleigh will be to focus on the issues facing our families here in District 89: fully funding our schools, protecting health care, and lowering costs.

What legislation will you pursue to bring down costs?

Housing for every stage of life: down-payment and closing-cost help and homebuyer savings accounts for young people and first-time buyers; a fair first shot for families against Wall Street investors; help for seniors to stay in their homes, and for those ready to downsize, support to move into smaller, affordable homes in the communities they love, including more senior-friendly housing options here in District 89.

Utility bills: Families across District 89 are opening bigger Duke Energy bills every year. I’ll push to make data centers pay the full cost of the power they need so Duke can’t pass those costs on to homeowners and small businesses, and I’ll stand up for ratepayers when Duke asks the state to approve rate increases. Raleigh should be working for the people paying the bills, not the utility.

Health care for all: Every North Carolinian deserves quality, affordable health care as a basic right, not a privilege. No family should have to choose between paying rent and seeing a doctor. I’ll fight to protect Medicaid expansion and stop paperwork that kicks eligible people off their coverage; keep our rural hospitals open; bring more doctors and nurses to underserved communities; expand mental-health care and telehealth; protect maternity care; and require transparency on drug prices and hospital charges so families aren’t blindsided by bills they can’t afford. Healthy families mean a stronger workforce and a stronger District 89.

Groceries and the cost of living: We’re a top state for business but the worst state for workers, and families feel it every time they check out. No child should go to school hungry, and no senior should have to choose between groceries and medicine. Federal cuts are shifting SNAP costs onto our state and counties, and I’ll make sure the state covers that burden so counties aren’t forced to cut schools and public safety or look for new revenue. If the property tax amendment passes, that pressure will shift to higher sales taxes, which hit every grocery bill and fall hardest on working families and seniors. I’ll cut the red tape that pushes eligible families and seniors off food assistance, invest in our local food banks and pantries as demand hits record levels, and protect school breakfast and lunch programs. Beyond the grocery store, I’ll work to ease the everyday costs squeezing working families, from child care to prescriptions, and push for strong enforcement against price gouging so families get a fair deal. Working people in District 89 shouldn’t fall further behind every time they check out.

What sets you apart from your opponent?

My opponent has held this seat since 1999, nearly three decades, and conservative voter guides proudly rate him a “Verified Conservative.” His record shows whose side he’s been on time and again, he’s voted for big business over the workers who keep this state running. That’s how North Carolina ended up a top state for business and the worst state for workers. He co-sponsored and voted for the bill that opened private school vouchers to families of any income, even six-figure households, and voted to override the governor’s veto to send hundreds of millions more to those vouchers, while North Carolina teacher pay sits near the bottom of the nation. He voted to put the income tax cap on the ballot, and he’s one of the lead sponsors of the property tax amendment that would tie our counties’ hands and push costs onto working families through higher sales taxes. Meanwhile, Duke Energy bills keep climbing, rural hospitals are struggling and young families are priced out of homes.

After 27 years, if the problems keep getting worse, it’s time to ask who he’s really working for. I’ve spent my life in classrooms and on ball fields, not in the halls of the legislature, and this summer and fall I’ve been on front porches, knocking on more than 1,000 doors to hear directly from the people of this district. I know what our teachers, parents, seniors and young people are facing because I see it every week. I’ll be an independent voice who answers to District 89, not party leaders in Raleigh, and I’ll always put people over politics.

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