Brigadier General, (Ret) Leela Gray Commits to Running and Winning in Florida’s 13th District

While Luna Tries to Run Away from Washington’s Failure to Lower Costs, Gray Doubles Down on Winning in November

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 6, 2026

St. Petersburg, FL — Today, Brigadier General, (Ret) Leela Gray reaffirmed her commitment to the families of Florida’s 13th Congressional District, vowing to take her mission for accountability and common-sense leadership all the way to Washington.

“Washington and Tallahassee politicians cannot gerrymander away the reality Floridians face every day. Congresswoman Luna can't hide from her failure to address the skyrocketing costs of insurance, housing, and groceries,” said Gray. “No matter how they draw the district lines, the people of Florida will get their say in November. Their attempt to rig the election only fuels our resolve to win because people want leaders who put serving the people first and are willing to bring real change.”

Announcement Video

Gray enters the next phase of the race with a commanding cash advantage and a rapidly expanding coalition, proving she is uniquely positioned to flip the seat. In the first quarter, Gray outraised the whole primary field and incumbent Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna by bringing in $564,000 in just 56 days. She entered the second quarter with $500,000 cash on hand: a record for a Democratic challenger's first-quarter fundraising in Florida’s 13th Congressional District.

“Every day, people are coming off the sidelines and joining our campaign because our mission transcends district lines. This race is a choice between leadership and chaos. It’s time we put the people of this district ahead of political theater,” Gray continued.

Notable community and business leaders, and national organizations recognize Gray as the battle-tested leader Florida needs. Last week, Veterans for Responsible Leadership endorsed Gray, joining Congresswoman Kathy Castor (FL-14), EMILY’s List, and VoteVets in their support of her powerhouse campaign.

To learn more about Leela, visit leelagray.com.

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¹The previous record for fundraising in the first quarter of the race by a Dem challenger in FL-13 was $508,271 by Charlie Crist.