MEET RAY McKAY

A native Rhode Islander, Raymond Tyler McKay was born on October 11, 1960, in Providence. The Warwick resident is the father / stepfather of 4 children, has 12 grandchildren, and cares for three Havanese dogs. Ray was the network and telecommunications manager and administrator for the City of Warwick for 26 years.

 

Ray served in the United States Army for 11 years, from 1981 – 1992, during which he worked on electronic maintenance for the Pershing Nuclear Missile System in West Germany. He also spent time at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Fort Gordon, Georgia, training for 74F (Programmer). He was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant, and received one Army Commendation medal, three Army Achievement medals, and three good conduct medals during his service.

 

Ray has been a member of the Elks Lodge #2285 since 2000. A grassroots political activist for more than two decades, Ray has worked on local, state, and national campaigns as a boots-on-the-ground volunteer since 2000, and as a campaign manager in select Rhode Island races. His own first run for office was in 1998 for Rhode Island State Senate.

He was president of the Rhode Island Republican Assembly (RIRA) from 2005 to 2014, during which he organized the 22-state 3-day RIRA endorsement conventions in 2006 and 2010. Under Ray's leadership, RIRA enjoyed some of its most successful fundraising and candidate recruitment campaigns.  


WORK HISTORY

•  31 buildings, 800+  employees

•  21G – Pershing Missile System 

•  1 Army Commendation Medal

•  3 Army Achievement Medals

•  3 Good Conduct medals

•  Honorable Discharge – selective early release force reduction


EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Attended Saint Raphael Academy, Pawtucket, RI

Graduated from Hope High School, Providence, RI

Course work at:

Cameron University – Lawton, OK

Great Plains Vo-Tech (now Great Plains Technology Center) – Lawton, OK

Maryland University – Overseas campus while on active duty - 1984

New England Institute of Technology – Warwick, RI – 1995 – 1997

 

United States Army: 

21G Pershing Electronic Material Specialist – Fort Sill, OK

Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course – Distinguished Honor Graduate

74F Computer Programmer – Fort Gordon, GA

 

POLITICAL HISTORY

1996: Continuous membership as a registered Republican in Rhode Island

1998: First campaign for RI State Senate

1999: Data and tech support for Rhode Island Republican Party through 2001

2000: Presidential campaign volunteer in New Hampshire 

2000: Vice Chair of Warwick Republican City Committee (WRCC)

2001: Founding member of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA) Rhode Island Chapter

2001: Member of the 'Carcieri for Governor' exploratory committee and election campaign team

2004: Presidential campaign volunteer in Pennsylvania 

2005: President of the Rhode Island Republican Assembly (RIRA), a chapter of the NFRA, through 2014

2008: Presidential campaign volunteer in New Hampshire 

2012: Campaign manager for the Republican candidate's race for RI State Representative 

2022: Campaign manager for the Republican candidate's race for RI 2nd Congressional District

2021: Parliamentarian for Warwick and Johnston Republican Committees through 2022

2021: Delegate to Rhode Island Republican State Central Committee through 2022

2022: Candidate U.S. Senate in 2024 race