Senator Mike McKay

Michael Wayne McKay was born on March 5, 1969, in Rockville, Maryland. He is a Republican member of the Maryland Senate representing District 1, which covers parts of Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties. Before his tenure in the Senate, he served as the state-delegate for District 1C.

In his early life and career, McKay managed a dry cleaning business, which has four locations in Maryland and West Virginia. From 2010 to 2014, he served as president of the Allegany County Board of County Commissioners and the Cumberland Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. He also served as a member of the Allegany County Board of Education and various other county-level boards.

In June 2013, McKay announced his candidacy for the Maryland House of Delegates, seeking to succeed Delegate LeRoy Myers, who previously announced plans to retire. He won the primary election with 56.2 percent of the vote, defeating Republican challenger Ray Givens. He defeated his general election opponent, Nick Scarpelli, in the general election, receiving 57 percent of the vote.

McKay was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 14, 2015. In July 2017, McKay announced that he would not seek re-election in the 2018 elections, instead choosing to seek election as Allegany County Register of Wills. However, McKay was not selected to fill the position after Rebecca Drew, then-Register of Wills, resigned facing misuse of funds allegations, and later filed to run for re-election to the House of Delegates in October 2017.

In July 2021, McKay announced his candidacy for the Maryland Senate in 2022, seeking to succeed Senator George C. Edwards, who previously announced plans to retire. He won the Republican nomination and in November, the Senate election itself.

In his first year as in the Senate, Senator McKay was a member of six different committees and caucuses: Judicial Proceedings Committee, Executive Nominations Committee, Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review, Joint Committee on Program Open Space and Agricultural Land Preservation, Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, Maryland Veterans Caucus Chairman of Fire EMS Coalition.

Throughout his time in public service, Senator McKay has been a passionate champion for Appalachian Maryland and the state’s rural communities, especially in the areas of economic and workforce development and healthcare.