Raymond 'Ray' McKay is a Republican candidate running in the 2026 U.S. Senate primary. Born October 11, 1960 in Providence, Rhode Island, McKay is a father/stepfather of four children with 13 grandchildren. He served in the U.S. Army from 1981 to 1992, working on electronic maintenance for the Pershing Nuclear Missile System in West Germany. He was honorably discharged as a Sergeant with one Army Commendation Medal, three Army Achievement Medals, and three good conduct medals. McKay worked for 26 years as the network and telecommunications manager for the City of Warwick, where he oversaw complex IT operations and infrastructure projects. He was president of the Rhode Island Republican Assembly (RIRA) from 2005 to 2014 and has been a grassroots political activist for over two decades.
McKay was born in Providence, Rhode Island and is a native Rhode Islander and Army veteran. He served 11 years in the U.S. Army (1981-1992) and worked for the City of Warwick for 26 years in IT infrastructure management. He has been active in grassroots Republican politics for over 20 years, including serving as president of the Rhode Island Republican Assembly. McKay has attended Cameron University and New England Institute of Technology. He is Roman Catholic and a member of the Elks Lodge. He previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2024 but lost to Patricia Morgan in the Republican primary.