Leela Gray raises upward of $150,000 in first 48 hours of challenge to Anna Paulina Luna

Democratic congressional candidate Leela Gray’s campaign announced more than $150,000 in fundraising just two days into the campaign.

The Pinellas candidate filed on Tuesday to challenge U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a St. Petersburg Republican targeted this cycle by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

“This energy is amazing!” Gray said in a statement. “I am grateful for the support that has come pouring in in these early days, and I’m excited for our prospects. This is a campaign about service over self.”

Grey, retired Brigadier General, had a 30-year career in the Army, and also served at the Department of State’s Global Engagement Center and as the Chief of Legislative Affairs for the U.S. Army Reserve.

She earned a law degree from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, within the district. But she said her family has been rooted in the Pinellas region for 22 years. She said the community has grown tired of the Republican incumbent.

“People here in Pinellas County are hurting financially because of the bad choices and weak leadership in Congress,” Gray said. “It’s time that we have someone who will do something about it. Congresswoman Luna had a chance to put the needs of Pinellas County over partisan politics. She failed — I won’t.”

Gray is one of eight Democrats who filed with the Federal Election Commission to run this year in Florida’s 13th Congressional District. But based on year-end fundraising reports, the $150,000 announced by Gray exceeds the total that any Primary competitor raised in all of 2025.

Earle Ford, her closest Democratic rival in terms of fundraising, reported $144,000 raised between filing on Oct. 7 and the end of December. But Ford told Florida Politics that fundraising since the start of 2025 has put his total over $400,000.

Ford and Gray will report detailed fundraising at the end of the first quarter of 2026.

Luna raised $1.7 million through the end of 2025 and started the new year with almost $1.1 million cash on hand.