Challenger to Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna drops out, will run for state CFO instead

Shauna Muckle, Tampa Bay Times on May 21, 2026

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TAMPA, Fla. — Democrat Earle Ford, an Army veteran and attorney who raised more than half a million dollars to unseat GOP U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida's Pinellas County, announced Thursday that he’s exiting the race and running to be the state’s chief financial officer instead.

The move comes after Florida Republicans redrew the state’s congressional map, making Luna’s seat slightly redder.

Ford and retired Brig. Gen. Leela Gray, another Democrat, both raised more than $500,000 as they competed for the right to challenge Luna.

“I believe this decision gives me the opportunity to improve the daily lives of Floridians by fighting to lower costs, tackle the insurance crisis, save taxpayer money, and restore accountability in Tallahassee,” Ford said in a statement. “It also allows Democrats in FL-13 to unite early, avoid a costly and divisive primary, focus our resources, and win back this critical seat.”

Redistricting changed the boundaries of District 13 only slightly. The district now stretches into coastal Pasco County, up through Holiday, and includes a northeastern chunk of St. Petersburg that was previously part of Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor’s district. It excludes much of urban St. Petersburg, Gulfport and barrier island communities in southern Pinellas, which are now part of the sprawling District 16.

The new district would have gone for Trump by about 13 points — a 1-point increase from the old district. Political ratings services still cast the district as “likely Republican,” and it remains on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s list of targets.

Luna has not made a formal announcement that she’ll continue to run in the new District 13, unlike three other Tampa Bay incumbents who reaffirmed that they’d run in their redrawn districts. Such announcements are not required to remain in the race. Her office did not respond to multiple requests for comment in time for publication.

Gray said she’ll remain in the race. Her fundraising was neck and neck with Luna’s in the first quarter of 2026. Her campaign announced Monday that she raised more than $100,000 in the 10 days after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the redistricting plan into law.

Seven more candidates remain in the Democratic primary alongside Gray, according to the Federal Election Commission website, though no one else had raised more than $100,000 as of March 31.

Ford, meanwhile, joins one other Democrat running for state CFO: Stephanie Lyn Leonard, who had raised $125 as of March 31. The campaign website she listed on her filing paperwork is not operational.

The winner of the Democratic primary for CFO will likely run against incumbent Blaise Ingoglia, a Republican who was appointed by DeSantis last year. Democrats generally face an uphill battle in statewide races, as active registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than 1.5 million.