Clay Ingram is a Pensacola native and a graduate of Tate High School. After high school, Ingram walked-on to play football for Florida State University. While there, he earned a scholarship and was a four year starter for Coach Bobby Bowden and leader on the 1999 National Championship team. He graduated from Florida State with a degree in General Communications with a minor in Political Science and was a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference's Academic Honor Roll.

He was elected Chairman of the Escambia County Republican Executive Committee in 2005 and served in that capacity until December 2008. He was elected Chairman of the First Congressional District Caucus of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) in 2007 and led the Caucus during the 2008 Presidential Election. Congressional District Caucuses are responsible for selecting the Party's electors and delegates to the Presidential Nominating Convention. Clay also served on the Executive Board of the Republican Party of Florida and was appointed by the RPOF Chairman to serve on the Ethics Committee, Constitution and Rules Committee, and Grants Committee. He also served as the Chairman of the Young Professionals for Bush Coalition during the 2004 Presidential election cycle.

Clay has worked in real estate and is currently teaching and coaching football at Tate High School.