Ray Thombs grew up in poverty in the small towns of Windsor and Chelsea. Until the age of twelve, home was a converted chicken coop, water came from a dug well carried by bucket, and the bathroom was a two-hole outhouse. Those years didn’t harden him they grounded him. Ray learned early that dignity isn’t found in comfort, but in character; that when something is broken, you don’t complain—you fix it; and that real progress comes from rising up and building with what you have.

​

That foundation was strengthened through military service, where Ray learned to face situations that seemed impossible and overcome them through discipline, teamwork, and clear thinking. When missions were complex and conditions uncertain, success didn’t come from shortcuts or slogans. It came from breaking the problem down, solving each piece, adapting under pressure, and staying committed until the mission was accomplished. Those rigorous experiences shaped a steady, solutions-driven approach that still guides him today.

​

In business, family life, and public service, Ray brings the same mindset: humility from lived experience, clarity from hard lessons, and a passion to restore what others have written off as having no value. He believes Maine’s small towns aren’t failing soley because of the high taxes, or rising costs but because state decision-making that has drifted away from growth and common purpose. 

 

Ray is married and he and his wife have 4 adult children who are also invested in their community. Ray and his family believe Maine needs leadership that builds opportunity and grows the whole state. He isn’t running to tear things down. He’s running to rebuild, so Maine can become the most prosperous small-town state in the nation.