Sen. Chuck Gray’s ancestors were some of the original settlers of Mesa, and his great grandfather helped build the Mesa Arizona Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Sen. Gray is a fifth-generation Arizonan, born and reared in Mesa. The heritage helps him understand that he has an obligation to make sure his actions benefit later generations of people in this state.
“I always say I have a hundred-year perspective,” Gray says.
Growing up, Gray’s parents taught him about the importance of participating in government and respecting the laws of the country. 
“They taught me that the Constitution was inspired by God, and the founding fathers were inspired to set up this government, and they did so at great sacrifice,” he says.
With this upbringing, Gray became a sort of expert in Revolutionary War ideologies, demonstrated by the many pictures that adorn his office depicting major moments in the founding of the nation.
One of these pictures displays the newly elected President George Washington, who is one of Sen. Gray’s role models.
“I admire all the founding fathers, but if you think about what Washington did, he did some things that set this nation in a particular path,” Gray says. “He was the commander and chief of the army and he could have been decided to be king, but he didn’t. He was the perfect example of what government officials should do.” 
Gray, however, did not always want to be a politician. As a child, he aspired to be a police officer. Unfortunately, bad eyesight prevented him from doing so for several years. 
“In first grade I sat near the middle or back of the room, and I couldn’t see the chalkboard so they moved me up to the front. That summer I got glasses,” says Gray, “and that is when I discovered that there were actually lines that ran between the telephone polls.”
Gray continued to wear glasses throughout high school and while serving as a missionary for the LDS church in Spain. He eventually qualified for the police academy after having radiocaratotomy (a surgery to correct eyesight).
But Gray says he was never really upset as a child by the idea that he wouldn’t be able to qualify to be a police officer.
“I don’t let things worry too much, I am not a fretter,” he says, “I am always looking forward to what is exciting on the horizon.”
Gray says that his experience as a police officer taught him the skills to properly represent his district.
“I learned how to go into a situation and get all the information and then back out and make a decision,” he says. “I learned I need to try to understand each of the situations down here legislatively before I make a decision.”
That was a practice that Gray put into action while serving as the vice-chairman of the Natural Resources and Rural Affairs committee. In order to make a more informative decision, Gray waited until all the testimonies had been made before asking questions regarding a bill dealing with water-well exemptions. 
Gray eventually voted “no” on the bill because he felt that he still had questions that needed to be answered.
“A ‘no’ vote is a way of reminding me that I still need to look into the issue more in order to make an informed decision,” he says.
After ten years of service with the Phoenix police, Gray started an Internet business that sells automotive seat covers. His motivation for doing so, he says, is that he is always looking for new experiences.
“I really like learning new things,” he says, “I am not afraid of technology and I am not afraid of wading into new things.”
His desire to learn new things has resulted in many hobbies, one of which is writing poetry. On his Web site, Gray has included links to seven poems that he has written over the years. The topics often center on every person’s duty to help one another. 
Camping is another one of Gray’s hobbies. As a child, his family would go camping regularly, a tradition that until recently he has continued with his own family.
“As I get older, living in a tent is not as fun as it used to be,” he says.
This childhood connection to nature, Gray says, has influenced his legislative dealings.
“It has taught me that on one hand we have a stewardship to protect nature, but on the other hand we have a responsibility to make sure they are still available for public use,” he says.
Gray also enjoys watching James Bond movies, and he says he owns all of them — the old series as well as the new ones. 
“There is a lot of intrigue. I like the Bourne movies too because I like the intrigue.”
Gray hopes to take a trip with his family to Spain, where he lived for two years during his mission for the LDS church.
“I have always wanted to go back, but it is a money issue,” he says.  ?