He served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1944 to 1948 and was chosen as speaker. He was elected to the New Jersey Senate, serving from 1952 to 1960. In the Senate, McCay was chosen as Senate President for the 1957 session.[1]
In 1958, McCay used Senatorial courtesy to block the renomination of New Jersey Attorney GeneralGrover C. Richman Jr., refusing to explain why he was unwilling to allow Richman to be renominated to a second four-year term as Attorney General and stating that he would only disclose his justifications if he was granted subpoena power to compel the testimony of uncooperative witnesses who would be able to confirm his claims.[3] Despite sharp criticism from Governor Robert B. Meyner, McCay held firm and the Senate backed him up, leading Richman to withdraw his name from consideration.[4]
^Our club's namesake – Senator Albert McCayArchived 2016-08-10 at the Wayback Machine, Albert Mcay Republican Club of Delanco. Accessed December 10, 2014. "The late Senator Albert McCay was a fine gentleman of Delanco, a good neighbor to many and a man dedicated to public service. He served in the New Jersey Senate from 1952-60."
^Waggoner, Walter H. "Grover C. Richman; Served in New Jersey as Attorney General", The New York Times, May 7, 1983. Accessed August 28, 2016. "Mr. Richman's tenure as State Attorney General came to an unexpected end in January 1958, after he had been nominated for a second term. State Senator Albert McCay, Republican of Burlington County, where Mr. Richman lived, exercised his traditional right of 'senatorial courtesy' and opposed the renomination. Governor Meyner fought for Mr. Richman's approval by the Republican-controlled State Senate, but the nominee withdrew his name."