Former Congressman Jim Davis Endorses Leela Gray for Florida's 13th Congressional District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: June 23rd, 2026

St. Petersburg, FL — Today, retired Brigadier General and Democratic congressional candidate Leela Gray announced the endorsement of former Congressman Jim Davis, who represented Tampa and portions of St. Petersburg, Bradenton, and Hillsborough County in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2007. Davis, the 2006 Democratic nominee for Governor of Florida and a former Majority Leader of the Florida House of Representatives, joins a growing coalition of Florida leaders who have rallied behind Gray's campaign.

"Having risen to the rank of Brigadier General in the US Army, Leela Gray brings the kind of thoughtful leadership, integrity, and commitment to service that our community deserves," said Davis. "I'm endorsing her because she understands the challenges Florida families face and has the experience to deliver real results."

"Few people understand the demands of public service better than Jim Davis,” said Gray. “He spent 18 years in elected office building a reputation for getting results, even when the politics were hard. That is exactly the standard I intend to meet in Congress, and I am honored to have his support and his trust."

Davis joins a growing coalition of community leaders and national organizations that have recognized Gray as the battle-tested leader Florida needs in Congress. The list includes the Florida AFL-CIO, Congresswoman Kathy Castor (FL-14), Former State Representative Ben Diamond, Ruth’s List founder Alex Sink, fellow veterans and U.S. Reps. Jason Crow and Pat Ryan, Safety Harbor Mayor Joe Ayoub, EMILY’s List, New Politics, and VoteVets.

About Leela Gray

Retired Army Brigadier General Leela Gray is a third-generation veteran, attorney, small business leader, and mother running for Congress in Florida's 13th Congressional District. The first in her family to attend college, Leela worked her way through school and served more than 30 years in uniform, including two combat deployments and a peacekeeping mission. She retired in 2018 as Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Central and subsequently advised U.S. Army Cyber Command on modernizing national cyber policy. After retiring from the military, Leela served on non-profit and private sector advisory boards, and earned her law degree to help veterans access healthcare and other critical benefits. Leela and her husband, Tony, have lived in the Tampa Bay area for more than 20 years and are proud parents of their adult daughter. Learn more at leelagray.com.

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