Luna and Gray battle for district

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Democratic challenger Leela Gray are contesting the U.S. House seat for Florida's 13th Congressional District. Both candidates bring military service to the race, though their careers diverged sharply after leaving active duty.

Luna, the incumbent, served in the U.S. Air Force. She currently sits on the Oversight and Government Reform committee and the Foreign Affairs committee. Her legislative profile includes work on UFO investigations, congressional stock trading bans, and oversight measures. Gray is a retired Army brigadier general who previously commanded the 86th Training Division. She also held strategic communications roles focused on countering terrorist propaganda.

The candidates have outlined different priorities for the seat. Luna has emphasized her record on federal oversight and transparency. Gray has targeted recent federal economic policies, citing concerns over adjustments to SNAP and Medicaid programs. She also argued that tariffs and military actions in Iran have driven up gas prices for local consumers.

Recent changes to the electoral map have altered the competitive landscape for this Pinellas County seat. New district boundaries push the area further into conservative territory. Luna previously won election by a margin of 10 percentage points. Updated boundaries, based on recent presidential vote tallies, create a wider margin that makes the district an uphill climb for challengers.