Leela Gray
Leela Gray served 27 years in the U.S. Army, including more than 17 on active duty, commanded at the company, battalion and brigade levels, completed three deployments and a peacekeeping mission, led the 86th Training Division, and retired in 2018 as Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Central. She later advised U.S. Army Cyber Command, built a civilian career in technology and strategic communications, and earned a law degree to help veterans obtain health care and benefits. She has lived in the Tampa Bay area since 2003. She won the Aug. 18, 2026 Democratic primary with 65.1% and was added to the DCCC's Red to Blue program.
How they got on the ballot: Won Aug 18, 2026 Democratic primary with 65.1% (32,033 votes) over Brandt Robinson (12,893) and John William Liccione (4,250) (WUSF: https://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/2026-08-18/pinellas-primary-results-2026-leela-gray-wins-democratic-nomination-13th-congressional-district)
Campaign finance (FEC filings through 10/14/2026): raised $2,917,665, spent $2,261,242, cash on hand $656,423; $2,469,264 from individual donors, $307,834 from PACs, $7,115 from the candidate. FEC filings ↗
Sources last checked 2026-09-18. Report an error ↗
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Taxes & spending Leans agree· stated position
Supports a middle-class tax cut and taking on insurance monopolies.
"a middle-class tax cut"
Housing affordability Leans agree· stated position
Says housing must be made affordable for all Pinellas residents.
"We must make housing affordable for all Pinellas residents."
Abortion Strongly agrees· stated position
Gray is endorsed by EMILY's List, which backs Democratic women who support abortion rights, and is listed by WomenCount; the endorsement announcement describes her as supporting reproductive rights. (One aggregator site characterizes her differently; her campaign and endorsers describe her as pro-choice.)
Health care Leans agree· stated position
Wants affordable, quality, dependable care for every resident of the district.
"We must make affordable, quality, dependable care a reality for every resident of the 13th District."
Social Security & Medicare Strongly agrees· stated position
Would protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare.
"We must protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare to ensure every senior can age with dignity."
Tariffs & trade Strongly disagrees· stated position
Calls the tariffs illegal and a driver of inflation; would end them.
"We must end illegal tariffs, and cut red tape and regulatory burdens that drain capital from our entrepreneurs"
Trump administration Leans disagree· stated position
Gray criticizes the administration's tariffs and the military action in Iran that Luna supported, saying they raised gas prices and costs.
Veterans Leans agree· stated position
Says veterans face bureaucratic red tape to access earned benefits.
"Our veterans served on the front lines, yet return home to a web of bureaucratic red tape to access their earned benefits."
No public position found on 9 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Immigration, Guns, Education & school choice, Environment & water, Elections & voting, Crime & policing, Gender identity laws, Energy & utilities, Ukraine. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Positions on issues outside this office's scope (1)
Property insurance Leans agree· stated position
Would lower insurance costs, crack down on corporate fraud and restore transparency to the industry.
"We must lower insurance costs, crack down on corporate fraud, and restore transparency and stability to a broken industry."
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Anti-corruption agenda — Proposes overturning Citizens United, banning corporate PAC donations, banning stock trading by members of Congress, banning prediction markets and suspending congressional pay during shutdowns.
- Cost of living — Says she will fight for families 'crushed by the high cost of insurance, housing, gas and groceries.'
- Iran military action — Criticizes the U.S. military action in Iran that she says Luna backed.
- Cyber and defense modernization — Cites her work advising U.S. Army Cyber Command on cyber policy.Sources: About - Leela Gray
- 'Culture of corruption' campaign theme — Gray's September ads accuse Luna of giving inside information to a donor and frame the race around affordability and a 'culture of corruption' in Washington; Luna's lawyers demanded the ad be pulled.
- Dispute over her television ad about Luna — Gray's campaign refused to pull a 30-second ad saying Luna was 'giving insider information to her donor' after Luna's lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter on Sept. 18 calling the claims verifiably false. On Sept. 22 Gray's attorneys at the Elias Law Group replied that the ad rests on Wall Street Journal reporting and that a defamation suit would expose Luna to costs under Florida's anti-SLAPP law.
- Race rating moves — On Sept. 22-25 Fox News and the Cook Political Report both moved the district from 'Likely Republican' to 'Lean Republican.'
- Third-quarter fundraising and a fourth ratings shift — Gray's campaign said on Oct. 2 that it raised more than $1.4 million in the third quarter, $900,000 of it in September, from 12,667 contributions, with nearly 83% of them $100 or less. Inside Elections moved the district from Likely Republican to Lean Republican on Oct. 1, the fourth outlet in nine days to shift the race toward her. Luna has not announced a third-quarter number.
- House Majority PAC poll released with the fundraising figure — A Hart Research Associates poll for House Majority PAC of 500 voters taken Aug. 25-27 had Gray ahead of Luna 51%-46% head to head, inside the 4.4-point margin of error, and 44%-43% with no-party candidate Tony D'Arrigo included at 7%. Luna's response was 'Election year, same BS.'
- 'Auto Shop' closing ad — Gray launched a 30-second ad, backed by a six-figure buy, about her family's working-class background and Army service, saying she will 'fight corruption' and focus on 'cutting your costs.'
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Retired 2018 as Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Central after 27 years of Army service.Sources: About - Leela Gray · Military.com profile
- Raised $561,000 within months of launching; added to the DCCC's Red to Blue program in August 2026.
Endorsements (as reported)
- EMILY's List
- VoteVetsSources: Leela Gray - VoteVets
- New PoliticsSources: Leela Gray - New Politics
- Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.)
- Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger
- Tampa Bay Times (Gallaty and Brink both chose Gray)