His mother, Julie (née Dutton), was a teacher, and his father, Allan Thompson, owned and ran a gas station and country grocery store.

A graduate of Royall High School in 1963, he was active in the drama department and competed in football, basketball, and track.

[4] His older brother, Tommy Thompson, a Republican, was formerly Governor of Wisconsin and United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.

[7] In response Thompson, publicly critical of the negative campaigning of both major party candidates, became a more viable option for some voters,[8] and garnered 10% of the vote.

Thompson announced in October 2009 that he would run as a Republican for the 31st district Wisconsin State Senate seat in 2010, against incumbent Kathleen Vinehout.

[9] On November 2, 2010, Vinehout defeated Thompson, who was still campaigning for the office, despite being recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2010.