Republican Incumbent Anna Paulina Luna is facing Democratic challenger Leela Gray for the District 13 seat.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Voters in Pinellas and Pasco counties will decide whether Republican U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna receives another term in Congress or whether Democratic challenger Leela Gray will represent Florida’s 13th Congressional District.
The two are among three candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot, along with Tony D’Arrigo, a self-described “constitution purist” who is running with no party affiliation.
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The district looks different this year following a special redistricting session in Tallahassee. Pinellas County is now divided between Congressional Districts 13 and 16, rather than Districts 13 and 14. The new District 13 includes much of Pinellas County and a portion of Pasco County, while parts of southern Pinellas have shifted to District 16.
District 14 has more registered Republicans than Democrats. According to Florida Division of Elections data from the July 20 primary election registration deadline, District 13 had:
203,910 registered Republicans134,232 registered Democrats122,961 voters with no party affiliation479,897 active registered voters overall, including minor-party voters
Those figures cover the newly drawn district, including voters in both Pinellas and Pasco counties. They are not directly comparable to previous election cycles because the district boundaries have changed.
Here’s what to know about the two major-party candidates.
Anna Paulina Luna
Who is she: Luna, a U.S. Air Force veteran, is seeking her third term in Congress after first winning election in 2022 and reelection in 2024.
She was raised by a single mother in Southern California and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of West Florida. She is the first Mexican-American woman elected to represent Florida in Congress.
Luna currently serves on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee. She also chairs a congressional task force focused on the declassification of federal government records.
Issues she’s focused on: Luna, a supporter of President Donald Trump, has emphasized immigration enforcement, government accountability, veterans’ issues, and reducing costs for Americans.
Her campaign highlights support for legislation addressing prescription drug prices, credit card interest rates, and student loan interest rates. She has also backed proposals to eliminate federal income taxes on Social Security benefits and restrict foreign adversaries from purchasing American agricultural land.
Luna supports stricter immigration enforcement and has advocated for measures targeting illegal immigration and international drug cartels.
What she’s done: In Congress, Luna has sponsored or supported legislation targeting government spending, congressional ethics, and restrictions on stock trading by lawmakers.
In December 2025, she filed a discharge petition seeking to force a House vote on legislation prohibiting members of Congress and their immediate families from trading or owning certain stocks. The proposal has drawn bipartisan interest, although lawmakers have disagreed over its scope.
In the Tampa Bay area, Luna has been involved in efforts to restore federal support for beach renourishment projects in Pinellas County.
Last May, Pinellas County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reached an agreement providing more flexibility for beach nourishment easements, potentially allowing additional federal funding for future projects. Luna participated in the announcement alongside county and federal officials.
Leela Gray
Who is she: Gray is a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, attorney, and small-business leader seeking her first elected office.
According to her campaign biography, she served 30 years in uniform, including three deployments, and held leadership positions in the Army and Army Reserve.
Her experience includes work on counterterrorism communications initiatives with the State Department and serving as a strategic adviser to U.S. Army Cyber Command.
Gray also worked in the private sector, including technology and business management, and has been involved in veterans’ advocacy in Tampa Bay.
She and her husband have lived in the Tampa Bay area for more than 20 years and raised their daughter here.
Issues she’s focused on: Gray has made affordability a central theme of her campaign, highlighting rising housing, insurance, healthcare, and everyday living costs.
Her platform calls for reducing prescription drug costs, strengthening Medicare and Social Security, preserving Affordable Care Act tax credits, and addressing consolidation in the healthcare industry.
She also supports restrictions on large corporate investors purchasing residential properties and opposes tariffs that she says increase costs for families and small businesses.
Government ethics is another campaign priority. Gray supports banning congressional stock trading, requiring lawmakers to disclose meetings with lobbyists, placing restrictions on investments involving campaign donors, and establishing congressional term limits.
On environmental issues, Gray supports protecting Pinellas County’s beaches and waterways, including a permanent ban on offshore drilling.
What she’s done: Gray’s background is primarily in military service, national security and business rather than elected office.
Her campaign highlights her work advising Army Cyber Command, developing international counterterrorism messaging initiatives and mentoring startup businesses.
She also helped create a Tampa Bay television program called “Veteran Strong,” focused on helping local businesses recognize the skills and experience of military veterans.
Gray won the Democratic primary in August, earning more than 65% of the vote to become the party’s nominee against Luna.
When is Election Day?
The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Early voting in Pinellas County runs from Oct. 19 through Nov. 1. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed is 5 p.m. Oct. 22.
Because congressional district boundaries have changed, voters should check their updated registration information and sample ballots through their county Supervisor of Elections.