Ray Bilger - Ray Bilger at Jefferson Defrees Family Center on Thursday

Former intelligence and Foreign Service officer Ray Bilger has entered the race for Congress, launching his campaign in Warren County with a promise to fight for rural communities he says have long been overlooked.

Bilger, who officially launched his campaign for Congress on Thursday, has been a longtime public servant and spent four decades in the intelligence community and with the State Department.

Bilger began his bid at the Jefferson Defrees Family Center. The event drew a crowd of around 40 people in the small venue, a number that exceeded expectations.

Bilger, who recently returned to Pennsylvania, said his decision to run followed a year of activism and travel across the state, where he spoke about national security and observed what he described as persistent neglect in rural areas.

“I realized I can’t just sit on the sidelines,” Bilger said. “I decided I have to do something.”

He acknowledged he has never held elected office and described himself as an underdog, challenging incumbent Glenn Thompson, who has been the representative for Pennsylvania’s District 15 since 2019.

Bilger outlined a campaign centered on the four priorities of affordability, health care, infrastructure and opportunity.

While he said detailed policy proposals are still forthcoming, he pointed to infrastructure as a major concern, including roads, bridges, water systems, electrical grids and low-income housing.

Though he lives in State College, Bilger said he chose Warren County as his campaign launch site because many rural communities rarely see their congressional representative.

“When I get into office, I’m going to keep coming out here,” Bilger said, pledging to hold frequent community meetings structured more as listening sessions than traditional town halls.

“The majority of the time will be for you,” he told attendees. “I work for you.”

He also addressed questions about engaging younger voters, saying his campaign’s social media strategy will be led by younger staffers to reach broader demographics.

Bilger also answered questions about some of the important topics impacting the country.

On fuel costs, he suggested exploring legislation to address price spikes and said consumers should not pay higher pump prices before companies incur higher supply costs.

Regarding immigration enforcement, Ray said agencies must operate strictly within constitutional bounds.

“If you’re going after violent criminals, fine. But do it according to the law,” Bilger said.

Bilger emphasized that his path to victory depends on volunteers and supporters. He urged others to help maximize turnout among Democrats, independents and moderate Republicans in the upcoming primary.

“This is the best chance we’ve had in almost two decades,” Bilger said. “But we need people on the ground.”

The campaign continues with additional stops across the region, including visits to neighboring counties in the coming days. Bilger said he is working through a very busy schedule but plans to be back to Warren soon.