Governor Abigail Spanberger Endorses Leela Gray for Florida’s 13th Congressional District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: September 24, 2026

CONTACT: Billy Perlmutter | billy@leelagray.com

St. Petersburg, FL – Today, retired Army Brigadier General Leela Gray, the Democratic nominee in FL-13, announced the endorsement of Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger. Governor Spanberger, a former CIA case officer who represented Virginia's 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House before being elected Governor of Virginia last year, is one of the most prominent national security-focused leaders in the country.

"Leela Gray is a retired Army Brigadier General who is running for Congress to continue putting service over self," said Spanberger. "She's an effective leader and problem solver who will work tirelessly to tackle the cost of living crisis hurting her fellow Floridians and root out corruption in Washington. I am supporting Leela because I know she will work to hold the Trump Administration accountable for their failures while delivering for the people she serves."

Governor Spanberger becomes the latest leader who has dedicated her career to public service to endorse Leela Gray. Gray, who served in the Army for 30 years, would become the first female general ever elected to the United States Congress.

"Governor Spanberger has spent her career in service to our country," said Gray. "In Congress, she showed what kind of bipartisan results a Member with a national security background can deliver. As a Governor, she is leading the fight to bring down costs and make government function for working-class families. I am honored to have her support, and I will bring that problem-solving mindset to Washington when I defeat Anna Paulina Luna."

Spanberger joins a growing coalition of leaders who have recognized Gray as the battle-tested leader Florida needs in Congress. The list includes the Florida AFL-CIO, Congresswoman Kathy Castor (FL-14), Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22), former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, Former State Representative Ben Diamond, Ruth's List founder Alex Sink, fellow veterans and Congressmen Jason Crow, Pat Ryan, and Ted Lieu, Safety Harbor Mayor Joe Ayoub, EMILY's List, New Politics, and VoteVets.

About Leela Gray

Leela Gray is a third-generation veteran, retired U.S. Army Brigadier General, 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 three deployments. 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.