Mike McKay (politician)

Michael Wayne McKay (born March 5, 1969, in Rockville, Maryland) is a Republican member of the Maryland Senate representing District 1, which covers parts of Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties. He was previously the state-delegate for District 1C.

Mike McKay
Member of the Maryland Senate from the 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 11, 2023
Preceded by	George C. Edwards
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 1C district
In office January 14, 2015 – January 11, 2023
Preceded by	LeRoy E. Myers Jr.
Succeeded by	Terry Baker
Personal details
Born	Michael Wayne McKay (1969-03-05) March 5, 1969 (age 55) Rockville, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Kimberly
Children	8
Residence(s)	Cumberland, Maryland, U.S.
Signature

Early life and career

McKay was born on March 5, 1969, in Rockville, Maryland. He manages a dry cleaning business, which has four locations in Maryland and West Virginia.^[1]

From 2010 to 2014 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.^[2]

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.^[3] Following his candidacy announcement, Myers endorsed his bid for the delegate seat.^[4] He won the primary election with 56.2 percent of the vote, defeating Republican challenger Ray Givens.^[5] McKay's general election opponent, Nick Scarpelli, was financially backed by former state delegate Bruce Poole.^[6] He defeated Scarpelli in the general election, receiving 57 percent of the vote.^[7]

In the legislature

McKay was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 14, 2015.^[2]

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.^[8][9] 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.^[10]

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.^[11]

Committee assignments

Maryland Senate

• Member, Judicial Proceedings Committee, 2023–present
• Member, Executive Nominations Committee, 2023–present
• Member, Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review, 2023–present
• Member, Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, 2023–present
• Member, Joint Subcommittee on Program Open Space and Agricultural Land Preservation, 2023–present

Maryland House of Delegates

• Member, Appropriations Committee, 2015–2023 (public safety & administration subcommittee, 2015–2023; oversight committee on pensions, 2015–2017; oversight committee on personnel, 2018–2023; capital budget subcommittee, 2019–2020)
• Member, Joint Committee on Ending Homelessness, 2015–2023
• Co-Chair, Study Group on Economic Stability, 2019–2023

West Virginia annexation letter

In October 2021, he was one of five Maryland state legislators from Garrett, Allegany and Washington counties who sent a pair of letters to West Virginia officials asking about annexation of Western Maryland to West Virginia.^[12][13] These letters caused a local uproar, with Allegany County officials calling the request a political stunt, an embarrassment and unneeded distraction.^[14] Following criticism from local officials and some constituents, Delegate Jason Buckel and State Senator George Edwards issued a letter withdrawing support for the secession proposal.^[15]

Political positions

Education

McKay supports limiting BOOST funding to schools that don't discriminate in admissions, but opposes the elimination of BOOST, saying that it would be "discrimination in itself" and that lawmakers need to have more tolerance for funding religious schools.^[16]

McKay introduced legislation during the 2016 legislative session that would bring an agricultural science curriculum to Maryland's public school systems.^[17]

Environment

McKay opposed legislation introduced in the 2015 legislative session that would impose a three-year moratorium on fracking.^[18]

Healthcare

McKay introduced legislation during the 2017 legislative session that would expand Medicaid to establish an adult dental option.^[19][20] During the 2018 legislative session, he introduced a bill that would establish a pilot program for adult Medicaid dental coverage.^[21] The bill passed and became law.^[22] During the 2019 legislative session, McKay introduced legislation that would establish the Adult Dental Pilot Program to provide basic dental insurance to certain individuals between the ages of 21 and 64 that are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. The bill passed and became law.^[23][24]

Minimum wage

McKay supports the requirement of prevailing wages in public construction contracts.^[25] He opposed legislation introduced in the 2019 legislative session that would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025, saying that he was concerned about higher wages resulting in families making too much money to qualify for benefits like food stamps and subsidized housing.^[26]

Redistricting

In September 2021, McKay attended a meeting for the Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission to encourage the commission to keep Frederick County whole in its redistricting map. He also encouraged the commission to decrease the size of the state's 1st legislative district.^[27]

Social issues

McKay introduced legislation in the 2017 legislative session that would allow people to kill or wound black bears if one of the animals threatened a bee colony.^[28] The bill passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 124-17.^[29]

McKay introduced legislation in the 2019 legislative session that would place term limits on members of Congress.^[30]

Taxes

McKay introduced legislation in the 2015 legislative session that would lower the corporate tax rate in Washington and Allegany counties from 8.25 percent to 4 percent.^[31]

Electoral history

Allegany County Commissioner Republican Primary Election, 2010^[32]

Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Mike McKay	3,671	18.1%
Republican	Creade Brodie, Jr.	3,540	17.5%
Republican	Bill Valentine	3,458	17.1%
Republican	Mike Wade	3,227	15.9%
Republican	Champ Zumbrun	2,226	11.0%
Republican	Dale R. Lewis	1,908	9.4%
Republican	Bob Hutcheson	1,614	8.0%
Republican	Thomas D. McNemar, Jr.	597	2.9%

Allegany County Commissioner General Election, 2010^[33]

Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Mike McKay	12,234	21.5%
Republican	Creade Brodie, Jr.	11,889	20.9%
Republican	Bill Valentine	9,627	16.9%
Democratic	Tom Striplin	9,578	16.8%
Democratic	Bill DuVall	8,073	14.2%
Democratic	Ed Hedrick	5,382	9.4%
Democratic (Write In)	Rick Atkinson	115	0.2%
Other Write-Ins	Other Write-Ins	45	0.1%
Republican (Write In)	Frank K. Nethken	27	0.0%
Republican (Write In)	Randal Mellotte	20	0.0%

Maryland House of Delegates District 1C Republican Primary Election, 2014^[5]

Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Mike McKay	1,568	56.2%
Republican	Ray Givens	1,222	43.8%

Maryland House of Delegates District 1C General Election, 2014^[34]

Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Mike McKay	6,388	57.0%
Democratic	Nick Scarpelli	4,809	42.9%
Other Write-Ins	Other Write-Ins	9	0.1%

Maryland House of Delegates District 1C Republican Primary Election, 2018^[35]

Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Mike McKay	2,193	59.8%
Republican	Nicole Alt-Myers	1,198	32.7%
Republican	Jordan Lysczek	278	7.6%

Maryland House of Delegates District 1C Republican Primary Election, 2018^[36]

Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Mike McKay	10,228	82.1%
Green	Daniel DelMonte	2,177	17.5%
Other Write-Ins	Other Write-Ins	54	0.4%

References

1. Dresser, Michael (March 1, 2015). "Maryland's part-time lawmakers seek balance between family life, public service". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
2. "Michael W. McKay, Maryland State Senator". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
3. Sanderson, Michael (July 16, 2013). "Allegany Commissioner McKay to Run for Delegate". Maryland Association of Counties. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
4. Bieniek, Matthew (June 26, 2013). "McKay to run for House of Delegates". Cumberland Times-News. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
5. "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
6. "Former delegate leads Democratic money effort". The Baltimore Sun. June 29, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
7. Knapp, Les (November 5, 2014). "2014 Election General Assembly Recap". Maryland Association of Counties. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
8. Larry, Greg (July 23, 2017). "Del. Mike McKay won't seek second term". Cumberland Times-News. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
9. Knapp, Les (July 28, 2017). "Delegate Mike McKay Declines Second Term Run, Seeks County Office". Maryland Association of Counties. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
10. Larry, Greg (October 26, 2017). "McKay files for re-election to House of Delegates". Cumberland Times-News. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
11. Kurtz, Josh (July 21, 2021). "GOP Race to Replace Sen. Edwards Quickly Taking Shape". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
12. Wood, Pamela (October 22, 2021). "Western Maryland lawmakers ask West Virginia officials to 'consider adding us' to their state". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 23, 2021 – via MSN.
13. Gawel, Anna (October 22, 2021). "West Virginia governor would welcome 3 Western Md. counties with 'open arms'". WTOP-FM. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
14. "President Shade Comments, Oct.21, 2021 Board of Commissioners Meeting RE Letter to State of WV". Allegany County Government. October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021 – via YouTube.
15. "Edwards, Buckel withdraw support for secession efforts". WCBC (AM). October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
16. Gaines, Danielle E. (March 11, 2019). "House Committee's Proposed Budget Funds Kirwan, Reduces Private School Scholarships". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
17. Larry, Greg (February 28, 2016). "McKay sponsors bill to place ag science in schools". Cumberland Times-News. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
18. "Fracking limitation bills pass Maryland House, Senate". WBAL-TV. March 24, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
19. "Bipartisan Maryland Bill Would Create Medicaid Dental Option". WJZ-TV. March 14, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
20. "Bill would restore Medicaid for adult dental care for Md. residents". The Herald-Mail. March 14, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
21. "McKay hopes to get Medicaid dental program going in Maryland". The Herald-Mail. March 22, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
22. Larry, Greg (March 7, 2019). "McKay recognized for efforts to improve rural dental care". Cumberland Times-News. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
23. "Hogan signs McKay's dental clinic grant bill". The Herald-Mail. May 13, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
24. Meuh, Natasha (August 22, 2019). "New Maryland Dental Insurance Small But Important Step Forward for Coverage". Maryland Association of Counties. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
25. "District 1C candidates debate local labor, economic issues". Cumberland Times-News. August 12, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
26. Wood, Pamela (March 1, 2019). "Maryland House of Delegates approves bill to raise state's hourly minimum wage to $15 by 2025". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
27. Leckrone, Bennett (September 30, 2021). "Western Md. Shows Partisan Divide Over Congressional District Boundaries". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
28. Dresser, Michael (February 16, 2017). "Bill pits bears against bees as Maryland lawmakers seek to protect hives". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
29. Duncan, Ian (April 10, 2017). "Maryland General Assembly OKs beekeepers killing black bears threatening their hives". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
30. Larry, Greg (January 20, 2019). "McKay continues push for term limits". Cumberland Times-News. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
31. Basu, Kaustuv (February 17, 2015). "Bill would lower corporate tax in Washington and Allegany counties". The Herald-Mail. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
32. "Official 2010 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Allegany County". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
33. "Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for Allegany County". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
34. "Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
35. "Official 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
36. "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 9, 2022.

External links

• "Members – Senator Mike McKay". mgaleg.maryland.gov. Maryland General Assembly. January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
•   Media related to Mike McKay (politician) at Wikimedia Commons