Cory McCray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cory McCray
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| Member of the Maryland Senate from the 45th district |
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| Assumed office January 9, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Nathaniel J. McFadden |
| Acting Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party | |
| In office November 11, 2019 – December 7, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Maya Rockeymoore Cummings |
| Succeeded by | Yvette Lewis |
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 45th district |
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| In office January 14, 2015 – January 9, 2019 Serving with Talmadge Branch (D), Cheryl Glenn (D)
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| Preceded by | Nina R. Harper |
| Succeeded by | Stephanie M. Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 31, 1982 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Demetria |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Danielle McCray |
| Residence | Overlea, Maryland |
| Education | Baltimore City Community College (AS) National Labor College (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Cory V. McCray (born October 31, 1982) is an American politician. He currently serves as a member of the Maryland Senate. He represents Maryland's 45th district, which covers parts of northeast Baltimore City. Before this, McCray was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. He also served as the acting Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party for a short time.
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Cory McCray's Early Life and Career
Cory McCray was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He went to Fairmount-Harford High School.
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When he was 18, McCray joined an apprenticeship program. This program was with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. An apprenticeship teaches you a skilled trade while you work. He later became an organizer for the group. This program helped him earn enough money to start buying houses. He bought his first house at age 20. By the time he was 25, he owned seven houses.
In 2011, McCray earned an Associate degree in business management. He got this from the Baltimore City Community College. Later, in 2013, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the National Labor College. From 2011 to 2013, he worked on the Baltimore City Board of Elections. This board helps manage elections in the city.
In 2012, McCray and other community leaders started the B.E.S.T. Democratic Club. This club aimed to get young people in east Baltimore interested in politics. By 2014, the club had grown to more than 500 members.
In May 2013, McCray announced he would run for the Maryland House of Delegates. He wanted to take the place of Delegate Nina R. Harper. He won the Democratic primary election, which is when voters choose their party's candidate. He came in third place out of eight candidates. He then won the general election.
McCray is seen as a political friend of Brandon Scott. When McCray ran for the House in 2014, he worked with Scott. Scott was a city council member at the time. They helped people in the community together. McCray also helped Scott when he became mayor in 2020.
Time in the Maryland Legislature
Cory McCray was sworn in as a delegate on January 14, 2015. Being "sworn in" means officially taking office. He was appointed to the House Environment and Transportation Committee. He also joined the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. This group works on issues important to Black communities. He is also a member of the Baltimore City Delegation. This group represents Baltimore City in the state legislature.
In March 2017, there was a disagreement during a conversation about poverty. A committee later looked into the matter. They found that Mr. McCray's actions were not up to the expected standards for a member.
In July 2017, McCray said he was thinking about running for the Maryland Senate. He wanted to challenge Senator Nathaniel J. McFadden. He officially announced his plan to run in September. McCray won against McFadden in the Democratic primary election. He received 58.5 percent of the votes. He did not have any opponents from other parties in the general election.
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McCray was sworn into the Maryland Senate on January 9, 2019. He was appointed to several important committees. These include the Budget and Taxation Committee. He also joined the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee. He is a member of the Maryland Legislative Transit Caucus. This group focuses on transportation issues. He is also part of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. From 2019 to 2020, he was an associate member of the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus. In November 2020, he was chosen to lead the Baltimore City Senate Delegation.
In October 2019, after Representative Elijah Cummings passed away, McCray thought about running. He considered running in a special election for Congress. This election would fill the rest of Cummings' term. However, he later decided not to run for the seat.
Acting Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party
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McCray became the acting chair of the Maryland Democratic Party on November 11, 2019. He took over after Maya Rockeymoore Cummings resigned. She resigned to run for Congress. McCray decided not to run for the permanent chair position. During his time as acting chair, he worked to improve the party's finances. He canceled some contracts and suggested ways to save money. On December 7, 2019, Yvette Lewis was elected as the new party chair.
Cory McCray's Political Views
COVID-19 Pandemic
In March 2021, McCray and five other senators wrote a letter to Governor Larry Hogan. They were concerned about how the state's vaccination program was being rolled out. They wanted to make sure everyone had fair access to vaccines.
Education
In 2019, McCray introduced a bill to expand food stamp benefits. This would help students who get free meals at school. The benefits would continue during the summer months. The bill passed and became law.
Elections
In 2015, McCray introduced a bill to restore voting rights for ex-offenders. This means people who had been in prison could vote again. The governor vetoed (rejected) the bill. But the Maryland General Assembly voted to override the veto in 2016. This means they passed the bill anyway.
In 2019, McCray introduced a bill about Baltimore police districts. It would require the police to redraw district boundaries after each census. A census is a count of the population. This bill passed and became law in October 2019.
In September 2020, McCray asked for more ballot drop-off boxes in his district. He felt his district had fewer boxes than others. He wanted to make it easier for people to vote.
Environment
In September 2019, McCray voted against a climate debate resolution. He felt his community needed him to focus on other issues. These included justice reform and economic opportunities.
In 2021, McCray introduced a bill to reform the Maryland Environmental Service. This bill aimed to improve how the service manages money. It also added new requirements, like ethics training.
Minimum Wage
In 2019, McCray introduced a bill to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The goal was to reach this by 2023. The bill passed, but Governor Larry Hogan vetoed it. The Maryland General Assembly voted to override the veto the next day. This made the bill law.
Policing
In 2019, McCray voted for a bill to create an armed police force at Johns Hopkins University. He also introduced a bill that would require Baltimore police leaders to live in the city.
McCray introduced a bill in 2019 to make the Baltimore Police Department a city agency. It is currently a state agency. The bill did not pass at that time. In 2021, he introduced a similar bill. This bill would create a group to study local control of the police. It would also let voters decide if the city government should control the police. This bill passed and became law.
Taxes
In 2020, McCray introduced a bill to increase the tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Transportation
In 2021, McCray and other local leaders asked for more money for the Maryland Transit Administration. This money would help with maintenance and other needs. He introduced a bill to increase funding for the state's public transportation. This includes the bus system, MARC train, Metro, and Light Rail. The goal was to make them safer and more reliable. The bill passed but was vetoed by Governor Hogan. The legislature voted to override the veto later that year.
In 2022, McCray introduced a bill about E-ZPass charges. It would waive late fees and allow people to set up payment plans for delayed charges.
Images for kids
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Cory McCray's signature
