Ray Bilger

Ray Bilger is the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania's 15th District. A Centre County native, 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. According to his campaign website, he is running to bring "opportunity and hope back to rural PA."[1][2]

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]

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.