TAMPA, Fla. — Two Democrats raised large sums of money this past quarter as they compete for the Democratic nomination against Pinellas County’s incumbent GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna.

Retired Brig. Gen. Leela Gray raised about $565,000 to Luna’s roughly $585,000 during the first quarter of 2026. Luna’s total was split between her campaign account and a joint fundraising committee.

Gray’s total represents just two months of fundraising. She entered the race in February.

Close behind Gray and Luna in fundraising is Democrat Earle Ford, a U.S. Army veteran and attorney who raised about $450,000 this quarter, largely from small-dollar donations. He has about $44,000 cash on hand out of the nearly $600,000 he’s raised since entering the race in October.

Luna still has more than double the cash on hand — $1.4 million — compared to any of her Democratic challengers. Gray noted that she’d spent far less than Luna this quarter, leaving her with around $500,000 cash on hand.

On both sides of the aisle, far more money is being poured into the race for Congressional District 13 than at the same point in 2024.

In the first quarter of 2024, Luna had raised a little under $200,000, while Whitney Fox, her eventual Democratic challenger and the lead fundraiser in the race, had raised about $20,000 more.

Fox lost her race to Luna by almost 10 points in 2024. Republicans had a roughly 50,000-voter registration advantage in the district that year.

But 2026 offers a different environment for the Democratic hopefuls seeking a chance to unseat Luna.

Florida Democrats are buoyed by two surprise special election victories in Tampa and Palm Beach County, where Democratic candidates shifted their districts left by eight and 13 points, respectively, compared to Trump’s 2024 performance.

And it’s seats like Luna’s that may give state Republicans pause as they consider overhauling Florida’s congressional map. An analysis this week by the nonpartisan Civic Data and Research Institute found seats like Luna’s may have to become more Democratic in order to produce potential seats for Republicans — a risky move in an electoral environment that favors Democrats.

A spokesperson for Luna’s campaign declined to comment on redistricting.

“Rep. Luna is focusing on delivering for the amazing people of Pinellas County and (is) honored to serve them,” Olivia Carson, Luna’s campaign manager, said in a text message. “Rep. Luna has a lot of crossover support.”

Cook Political Report, which ranks congressional races across the country, still rates the district as likely Republican. But it’s one of three across the state — along with the Central Florida seat held by embattled Rep. Cory Mills and the Miami seat held by Rep. María Elvira Salazar — that the ratings service considers competitive.

Before the general election for Congressional District 13, however, comes the Democratic primary, in which nine candidates have announced runs.

Gray and Ford are the only Democrats who have raised more than $100,000 so far.

Also in the race are Pinellas history teacher and progressive activist Timothy “Brandt” Robinson; environmental nonprofit director Reggie Paros; mental health advocate John Fay; Air Force veteran John Liccione; insurance agent and sustainability consultant Karla Kemp; consultant Susan Leff; and apparel designer Jeffrey Moore.

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(Times data editor Langston Taylor contributed to this report.)

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