EMILY’s List throws support behind Leela Gray’s bid to flip CD 13 blue

A prominent national abortion rights group is throwing its support behind Leela Gray’s bid to flip a tough Pinellas County congressional seat.

EMILY’s List is endorsing Gray, a retired brigadier general, in Florida’s 13th Congressional District, giving her an added boost in a crowded Primary for a high-profile General Election target for Democrats.

In a statement, EMILY’s List President Jessica Mackler praised Gray as a proven leader and problem-solver, citing her 30-year U.S. Army career, combat deployments and work advocating for veterans and working families.

“Leela is running to end the partisan political games that have failed Pinellas County and bring common-sense leadership to lower costs and improve people’s lives,” Mackler said.

“EMILYs List is proud to endorse Leela Gray to flip this seat.”

A third-generation veteran, lawyer and longtime Tampa Bay-area resident, Gray launched her campaign this month and immediately gained financial traction. Her campaign reported raising more than $150,000 in the first 48 hours — a total that exceeded what any of her six Democratic Primary rivals raised during all of 2025.

Whitney Fox, the party’s 2024 nominee who outperformed expectations two years ago, has also endorsed Gray, calling her the candidate who can finish what the last campaign started. Fox earned about 45% of the vote in 2024 and has urged Democrats to rally behind Gray despite the district’s partisan math.

Gray is running to supplant Republican U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who has held the seat since 2022.

Beyond her military service, Gray has worked at the U.S. State Department’s Global Engagement Center and served as Chief of Legislative Affairs for the U.S. Army Reserve, experience she says gives her a working knowledge of Washington.

A Stetson University College of Law graduate, Gray has argued that Pinellas voters are frustrated with what she calls Luna’s partisan theatrics and are looking for a representative focused on affordability, insurance costs and kitchen-table economics.

Eight other Democrats — John Fay, Earle Ford, Karla Kemp, Susan Leff, John Liccione, Jeffrey Moore, Reginald Pardo and Timothy Robinson — are running in CD 13, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Of them, only Ford raised more than $100,000 last year.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has made CD 13 one of its top pickup opportunities this cycle, though Republicans still hold a registration advantage. Cook Political Report rates the district “likely Republican,” with a +5 GOP advantage.

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Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics contributed to this report.