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 also 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 – 2014. Under Ray’s leadership, RIRA enjoyed some its most successful fundraising and candidate recruitment campaigns.
WORK HISTORY
1981 – 1992: U.S. Army – 21G – Pershing Missile System /
- BNCOC – Distinguished Honor Grad
- 1 Army Commendation Medal
- 3 Army Achievement Medals
- 3 Good Conduct medals
- Honorable Discharge – selective early release force reduction
- 1992 – 2018: Network / Telecommunications Manager
- 31 buildings, 800+ employees
POLITICAL HISTORY
1996: Registered as a Republican in Rhode Island after serving 11 years in the U.S. Army
1996: Continuous member of local and state Republican party
1998: First ran for RI State Senate
1999 – 2001: Data and tech support for RIGOP
2000: Campaign volunteer in New Hampshire for Governor George Bush
2000: Vice Chair of local party – Warwick Republican City Committee (WRCC)
2001: Founding member of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA) Rhode Island Chapter
2001: Joined the Carcieri for Governor exploratory committee then served on the election campaign team
2004: Campaign volunteer in Pennsylvania for President Bush
2005 -2014: President of the Rhode Island Republican Assembly (RIRA), a chapter of the NFRA
2008: Campaign volunteer in New Hampshire for Senator John McCain
2012: Campaign manager for the Republican candidate’s RI State Representative race
2022: Campaign manager for the Republican candidate’s race for RI 2nd Congressional District
2021-22: Parliamentarian for Warwick and Johnston Republican Committees; delegate to RIGOP State Central Committee
2022: Candidate U.S. Senate in 2024 race
In addition, Ray organized the 22-state 3-day RIRA endorsement conventions in 2006 and 2010