NewsWUSF (NPR Tampa Bay)October 31, 2026Hillsborough County
Leela Gray campaigns in St. Petersburg ahead of election day in District 13
Photo: WUSF (NPR Tampa Bay)
Democratic congressional candidate Leela Gray appeared at a Friday night campaign event in St. Petersburg alongside gubernatorial candidate David Jolly and other Democrats. Gray highlighted her military service, cost-of-living concerns, health care, and veterans issues in her challenge against Republican incumbent Anna Paulina Luna in District 13.
Read the full story at WUSF (NPR Tampa Bay)Why It Matters
Voters in Florida's 13th Congressional District will choose between candidates offering contrasting backgrounds and policy priorities as the election approaches in a district recently redrawn by the Legislature.
Key Facts
- Leela Gray spoke at a Friday night campaign event at Bethel Community Baptist Church in St. Petersburg alongside Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly.
- Gray is running as the Democratic candidate to unseat Republican incumbent Anna Paulina Luna in Florida's District 13.
- District 13 includes most of Pinellas County north of St. Petersburg and was redrawn by the Republican-dominated Legislature to favor Republicans.
- Gray's campaign focuses on affordability, health care, veterans issues, middle-class tax cuts, and taking on insurance monopolies.
- Gray is a retired Army brigadier general who served 30 years in uniform, deployed three times, and commanded troops four times.
- In Luna's previous race in 2024, she defeated Democrat Whitney Fox by approximately 10 percentage points.
Who's Mentioned
locationPinellas County“County containing most of District 13”PersonAnna Paulina Luna“Republican incumbent U.S. Representative for District 13”OrganizationBethel Community Baptist Church“Location of the campaign event”locationGulfport“City excised during redistricting”PersonDavid Jolly“Democratic candidate for governor”locationDistrict 13“Congressional district in Pinellas County”PersonLeela Gray“Democratic candidate for U.S. House District 13”OrganizationWUSF“Voter guide publisher”locationSt. Petersburg“City where the event took place and a redrawn area”PersonWhitney Fox“Democratic candidate in the previous 2024 election”