U.S. House · Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District
Ray Bilger
CandidateD
- Race
- U.S. House · Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District
- Result
- Glenn Thompson, projected winner
- Opponent
- Glenn Thompson (R)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did5 statements · 0 votes
Every Pennsylvanian should have access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, without political interference. Those decisions belong with a woman, her family, and her doctor—not with Congress.
Protect legal access to abortion
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotU.S. House · 15
2026-11-03
| Glenn Thompson R | incumbent |
| Ray Bilger D | challenger |
Ran unopposed in the May 19 Democratic primary
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
Every Pennsylvanian should have access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, without political interference. Those decisions belong with a woman, her family, and her doctor—not with Congress.
Says the right to abortion should be codified in federal law and access should be available without political interference.[4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
For four years, enhanced tax credits through Pennsylvania’s health insurance marketplace, Pennie, helped hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians afford coverage. When Congress had the opportunity to extend those credits, Glenn Thompson voted no
Supports protecting affordable insurance coverage, lowering prescription drug costs, and defending Medicare and Medicaid; criticizes Rep. Thompson for voting against extending enhanced ACA premium tax credits.[4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
A gun owner and veteran can believe in the Second Amendment while also believing in common-sense gun laws.
Describes himself as a gun owner who supports the Second Amendment and also backs background checks that keep guns from people who pose a danger, and says he favors gun laws alongside it.[4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
We must support a War Powers Resolution now to rein in Trump’s war in Iran.
Calls for a War Powers Resolution to rein in the Iran war and restore Congress's constitutional authority to declare war.[4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Military aid must be conditioned on compliance with the laws of war and the terms of the ceasefire.
Says Israel has the right to defend itself but that U.S. military aid must be conditioned on compliance with the laws of war and the terms of the ceasefire; supports the Ceasefire Compliance Act.[4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Ray Bilger, a Democrat and Centre County native, lost the November 3, 2026 election for Pennsylvania's 15th District to Glenn Thompson. He describes a 35-year career as a security officer and intelligence analyst for the Air Force, the National Security Agency and the State Department, including service as NSA Technical Director for Cyber Analysis from 2015 to 2017.[1][2][3]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Bilger was born in Bellefonte and raised in Pleasant Gap, Centre County, according to his campaign website; his father was a factory worker, machinist and veteran, and his mother raised three children.[1][2] He graduated from Bellefonte Area Senior High School.[1][2] Per Ballotpedia, he earned a bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1985 and an associate degree from the Community College of the Air Force in 1997, and in his Ballotpedia survey he describes himself as a first-generation college graduate.[1]
Bilger entered the Air Force in August 1986 as an Airborne Cryptologic Linguist and served in both Desert Shield and Desert Storm; Ballotpedia lists his Air Force service as 1986 to 1996.[1][2] According to his campaign website, he then spent a 35-year career spanning nearly as many countries as an intelligence analyst and security officer, leading teams for the Air Force, NSA and State Department, and his Ballotpedia survey cites service in the Intelligence Community and State Department Foreign Service.[1][2] He served as NSA Technical Director for Cyber Analysis from 2015 to 2017.[2]
Bilger and his wife live in a home on the slopes of Mount Nittany that they have occupied since his mother's death in 2020, according to his campaign website.[2] He was unopposed in the May 19, 2026 Democratic primary (34,963 votes).[1] According to his campaign website, he ran to bring "opportunity and hope back to rural PA."[1][2] He received 36.2% of the vote to Glenn Thompson's 63.8%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[3]
In their own words
Priorities
- Says the district needs better jobs, higher quality and accessible healthcare, and improved infrastructure.[4]
- Says Congress should reclaim its constitutional authority over spending and tariffs rather than ceding it to the executive branch.[4]
- Calls for a single standard of accountability applied to ICE and CBP officers, including visible identification, adherence to use-of-force policy, and independent review of enforcement-related deaths.[4]
Campaign money$140K raised · 98% from individuals · FEC through 2026-06-30
Totals this cycle
Bars share one scale (raised = full). Cash on hand can include money carried over from earlier cycles.
Who gave
- Individuals $136K
- PACs & committees $1,750
- Party $500
- Own money & loans $1,100
Largest committee contributions
- Machinists Non Partisan Political League of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers PAC$5,000
- United Mine Workers of America - Coal Miners Political Action Committee PAC$1,000
- Union County Democratic Committee Party$500
Direct contributions only; outside spending is not included. Individual donors are itemized in the FEC’s receipts. All itemized receipts ↗ FEC filing ↗
Profile: /people/ray-bilger
Compare all 2 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.Ray Bilger · Ballotpedia Reference
- 2.Ray Bilger for Congress | PA-15 · Ray Bilger for Congress Candidate's own words
- 3.U.S. House · Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 4.Priorities · Ray Bilger for Congress Candidate's own words