A member of the Democratic Party, Gray was elected to the New York State Senate in 1988, defeating Republican incumbent Dick Schermerhorn.
Gray previously held office as the longest-serving mayor of his home town of Port Jervis, New York.
[1] The town's post office building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places was named after him in 2008.
[5] Gray served in the military as junior grade Lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve during World War II.
He was elected as a Democrat, defeating the incumbent Republican Dick Schermerhorn, who had served as state senator for 16 years.