Iris Bender

Iris Bender's career experience includes working as a businesswoman.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Iris Bender, and I'm running to represent District 87 in the North Carolina House because I believe our community deserves a representative who understands the challenges families face every day and will fight for practical solutions that make life more affordable, our schools stronger, and our government more accountable. I will put Caldwell County’s needs ahead of Raleigh politics.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Our economy depends on manufacturing, healthcare, education, and small businesses, and we need policies that keep young people here while helping local businesses thrive. I will support workforce training and career pathways through Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, bring state investment to downtown revitalization and small businesses, and promote broadband expansion for rural communities, remote work, and entrepreneurship. A strong local economy means good jobs, stable families, and a brighter future for the next generation.Our district has high Medicaid enrollment and limited mental-health resources, and when healthcare is unaffordable or unavailable, families suffer and communities weaken. I will fight to strengthen healthcare funding, hold insurance companies accountable, lower insurance premiums and prescription drug costs, and increase Medicaid reimbursement rates so UNC Health Caldwell can hire and retain staff. I also support expanding mental-health and addiction treatment services, along with Medicaid expansion programs that protect eligibility, reimbursement rates, and funding for rural providers. Just as importantly, I will fight to keep our local hospital open and ensure rural healthcare remains sustainable for the long term.Incomes here are below the state average, and families are being squeezed by rising costs for groceries, utilities, housing, and childcare. I will work to eliminate North Carolina’s 2% sales tax on groceries, block or limit unjustified utility rate hikes and hidden fees on electric bills, and create a Rural Utility Relief Fund to help seniors and low-income households. Because childcare costs are one of the biggest barriers facing working families, I will also push to increase childcare subsidy funding in the state budget, support grants that help childcare centers expand capacity, and raise pay for early childhood educators.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about public education because our public schools are the backbone of our community, yet chronic underfunding has led to teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and growing pressure on local property taxes. As a state representative, I will fight to increase state funding for public schools so Caldwell County is not forced to rely on higher property taxes, raise teacher pay and strengthen local supplements to recruit and retain educators, expand access to early childhood education and Pre-K, and pause or roll back voucher expansion until public schools are fully funded. Every child in Caldwell County deserves a high-quality public education, no matter their ZIP code.