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Adam Gray

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Adam Gray
Gray smiling in front of the U.S. flag, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and blue polka dot tie.
Official portrait, 2025
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 13th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2025
Preceded byJohn Duarte
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 21st district
In office
December 3, 2012 – December 5, 2022
Preceded byBill Berryhill (redistricted)
Succeeded byEsmeralda Soria (redistricted)
Personal details
Born
Adam Channing Gray

(1977-09-23) September 23, 1977 (age 47)
Merced, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Cadee Condit
​
(divorced)​
Children1
EducationMerced College
University of California, Santa Barbara (BA)
WebsiteHouse website

Adam Channing Gray (born September 23, 1977)[1] is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for California's 13th congressional district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the California State Assembly from 2012 to 2022, representing the 21st district, which includes all of Merced County and portions of Stanislaus County.

Gray is the whip of the Blue Dog Coalition. He lost his first bid for his congressional district in 2022 by a few hundred votes but won the seat in 2024 by a similar narrow margin. His district is located in the San Joaquin Valley, and includes all of Merced County and parts of Madera, Stanislaus, Fresno, and San Joaquin counties.

Early life and education

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Adam Channing Gray was born on September 23, 1977, in Merced, California.[2] He grew up working in his family's dairy supply and feed store,[3] and went to Golden Valley High School in Merced where he graduated as part of the first class.[4]

Gray went on to attend Merced College[5] and then earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.[2] While in school, he interned for congressman Gary Condit.[6]

Early career

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Following college, Gray worked in the district office of state assembly member Dennis Cardoza[7] and later served as a staffer for assembly members Herb Wesson, Fabian Nunez, and Jerome Horton.[6] He subsequently joined the staff of state senator Ron Calderon.[8] In 2015, he was subpoenaed to testify as a witness in connection with Calderon's federal corruption trial.[9]

California State Assembly

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Official portrait of Gray in the California State Assembly, 2012

Gray was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2012, receiving 58.2% of the vote.[10] In the 2014 primary election, He received 95.3% of the vote and was reelected in 2016 with 66.8% of the vote and again in 2018 with 71.3% of the vote.[11] In 2020, he received 59.6% of the vote.

He was on the Committee for Accountability and Administrative Review, the Agriculture Committee, the Revenue and Taxation Committee and the Select Committee on Health Care Access in Rural Communities. Gray was also a member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management[citation needed] and chairman of the Governmental Organization Committee.[12]

While in the state assembly, Gray founded the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus which worked across party lines to pass legislation.[3] He was involved in securing $3 billion for water storage in the Central Valley and helped bring funding for a new medical school at UC Merced. Gray broke with his party on several water policy issues, pushing back against Democratic proposals to cut water supplies to irrigation districts in the San Joaquin Valley.[3] As a result of his opposition to proposed limits on water flows, he was removed from his chairmanship of the Government Organization Committee by the assembly leader.[12]

In 2014, Gray supported Merced and Stanislaus counties as a potential site for Tesla Motors' multibillion-dollar "Giga-Factory".[13][14]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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2022

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Main article: 2022 California's 13th congressional district election
California's 13th congressional district since 2023

On January 18, 2022, Gray announced that he would be a candidate for California's 13th congressional district in the 2022 election for the United States House of Representatives.[15] The 13th district is located in the Central Valley, and includes Merced County and parts of Madera, Stanislaus, Fresno, and San Joaquin counties.[16] Gray advanced from the June primary and faced Republican pistachio farmer John Duarte in the November general election.[17] He conceded the race on December 2, shortly after the race was called by the Associated Press.[18] It was one of the last U.S. House races in the country to be decided; Gray lost by only 564 votes.[19]

2024

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Main article: 2024 California's 13th congressional district election

In August 2023, Gray announced his candidacy against Duarte again in the 2024 election.[20] Following weeks of counting, Gray eventually took the lead over Duarte on November 26, by a margin of 182 votes, with the race being called on December 4.[21] It was the last congressional race to be called in the 2024 election.[22]

Tenure

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Gray took office on January 3, 2025, representing California's 13th congressional district.[23] He was appointed to the House Committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources and was named whip of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition.[2][24]

As a member of the Natural Resources Committee, Gray co-sponsored two bipartisan bills to expand federal support for groundwater storage and recharge efforts in California.[24] He also introduced the Valley Water Protection Act, which would limit the implementation of the Endangered Species Act in cases where it could pose a national security risk or causes significant regional economic harm.[25] He later introduced legislation to establish a standardized rapid response system for wildfires.[26]

Gray was one of 46 House Democrats who joined all Republicans to vote for the Laken Riley Act of 2025.[27]

Committee assignments

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Gray discusses the risks of blanket tariffs on agriculture exports, 2025

For the 119th Congress:[28]

Caucus memberships

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Gray's caucus memberships include:[30]

Personal life

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Gray was previously married to Cadee Condit, the daughter of Gary Condit.[6] They have one child.[2]

Electoral history

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2014

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See also: California State Assembly elections, 2014
California's 21st State Assembly district election, 2014
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adam Gray (incumbent) 26,015 95.3
Republican Jack Mobley (write-in) 1,286 4.7
Total votes 27,301 100.0
General election
Democratic Adam Gray (incumbent) 34,931 53.4
Republican Jack Mobley 30,499 46.6
Total votes 65,430 100.0
Democratic hold

2016

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See also: California State Assembly election, 2016
California's 21st State Assembly district election, 2016
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adam Gray (incumbent) 43,874 66.8
Republican Greg Opinski 21,754 33.1
Republican Brien J. Rahilly (write-in) 36 0.1
Total votes 65,664 100.0
General election
Democratic Adam Gray (incumbent) 85,990 69.8
Republican Greg Opinski 37,230 30.2
Total votes 123,220 100.0
Democratic hold

2018

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See also: California State Assembly election, 2018
California's 21st State Assembly district election, 2018
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adam Gray (incumbent) 43,023 99.9
Libertarian Justin Ryan Quigley (write-in) 49 0.1
Total votes 43,072 100.0
General election
Democratic Adam Gray (incumbent) 74,320 71.3
Libertarian Justin Ryan Quigley 29,855 28.7
Total votes 104,175 100.0
Democratic hold

2020

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2020 California's 21st State Assembly district election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adam Gray (incumbent) 54,987 99.0
Republican Joel Gutierrez Campos (write in) 300 0.5
Republican Guadalupe Salazar (write in) 256 0.5
Total votes 55,287 100.0
General election
Democratic Adam Gray (incumbent) 93,816 59.6
Republican Joel Gutierrez Campos 63,514 40.4
Total votes

2022

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California's 13th congressional district, 2022[31]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Duarte 26,163 34.2
Democratic Adam Gray 23,784 31.1
Democratic Phil Arballo 13,099 17.1
Republican David Giglio 11,320 14.8
Republican Diego Martinez 2,026 2.7
Total votes 76,392 100.0
General election
Republican John Duarte 67,060 50.2
Democratic Adam Gray 66,496 49.8
Total votes 133,556 100.0
Republican win (new seat)

2024

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California's 13th congressional district, 2024[32][33]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Duarte (incumbent) 47,219 54.9
Democratic Adam Gray 38,754 45.1
Total votes 85,973 100.0
General election
Democratic Adam Gray 105,554 50.04
Republican John Duarte (incumbent) 105,367 49.96
Total votes 210,921 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

References

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  1. ^ "Adam Gray". CalMatters. September 8, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Rep. Adam Gray - D California, 13th, In Office - Biography | LegiStorm". www.legistorm.com. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Gomez, Melissa (September 28, 2024). "In a 'purple' California district, a GOP congressman fights to defend a seat he won by 564 votes". Los Angeles Times.
  4. ^ Miller, John (February 6, 2025). "Congressman Gray takes oath in front of constituents". Merced County Times. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  5. ^ "Gray, Adam". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c White, Jeremy (August 3, 2015). "Adam Gray: A canny California politician forges his own path". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  7. ^ Rappley, Nick (September 2, 2011). "21st Assembly race ramps up after Berryhill exits". Tank Town Media. Patterson Irrigator. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  8. ^ McGreevy, Patrick (April 10, 2015). "Assemblyman Gray, other state officials subpoenaed in Calderon corruption trial". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  9. ^ Rosenhall, Laurel (July 15, 2013). "Assemblyman Adam Gray to testify in FBI's Calderon investigation". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  10. ^ "Statement of Vote" (PDF). sos.ca.gov. California Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 24, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  11. ^ "Statement of Vote" (PDF). sos.ca.gov. California Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 4, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  12. ^ a b "Assemblyman Adam Gray is stripped of committee chairmanship". Modesto Bee. December 15, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  13. ^ Carlson, Ken (July 15, 2014). "Making the case for putting Tesla battery factory in Northern San Joaquin Valley". The Modesto Bee. Archived from the original on July 22, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  14. ^ Funez, Elias (July 17, 2014). "Could 10,000,000 sq. ft. Tesla plant call Patterson home?". Patterson Irrigator. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  15. ^ "California Democrat Adam Gray to run for Congress in 2022". Merced Sun Star. January 18, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  16. ^ Mehta, Seema; Mehta, Priscella (October 26, 2022). "Your guide to the California Congressional District 13 race: John Duarte vs. Adam Gray". Los Angeles Times.
  17. ^ Cowan, Jill (June 15, 2022). "Democratic lawmaker will face G.O.P. businessman in Central Valley battleground". The New York Times. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  18. ^ "GOP's Duarte takes California Central Valley US House seat". AP News. December 2, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  19. ^ "Democrat Adam Gray flips California swing seat blue". Politico. December 3, 2024.
  20. ^ Sheeler, Andrew (August 29, 2023). "Adam Gray Announces Congressional Bid, Setting Up Central Valley Rematch with Rep. John Duarte". www.sacbee.com. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  21. ^ Weber, Lindsay (November 27, 2024). "Gray pulls ahead of Duarte in race for California Congressional District 13". KCRA. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  22. ^ Cowan, Jill (December 4, 2024). "California Democrat Flips Seat in the Last House Race to Be Called". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  23. ^ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601. "Adam Gray (California (CA)), 119th Congress Profile". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved June 22, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ a b Downs, Garrett (February 28, 2025). "California Blue Dog seeks GOP allies, pushes water issues". E&E News by Politico.
  25. ^ Stafford, Sabra (June 18, 2025). "Congressman Gray introduces Valley Water Protection Act". Turlock Journal.
  26. ^ Cortez, Joe (June 20, 2025). "Gray bill would create rapid response standard for wildfires". Turlock Journal.
  27. ^ Rashid, Hafiz (January 22, 2025). "The 46 Democrats Who Voted for Republicans' Racist Immigration Bill". The New Republic. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  28. ^ "Adam Gray". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  29. ^ "Ranking Member Angie Craig Announces Subcommittee Vice Ranking Members for 119th Congress". House Agriculture Committee Democrats. February 12, 2025.
  30. ^ "Committees and Caucuses". Representative Gray. January 3, 2025. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  31. ^ Cite error: The named reference SoSPrimary was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  32. ^ "Statement of Vote" (PDF). sos.ca.gov. Sacramento: Secretary of State of California. 2024. p. 82. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 18, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  33. ^ "Statement of Vote" (PDF). sos.ca.gov. Sacramento: Secretary of State of California. 2024. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 30, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Adam Gray.
California Assembly
Preceded by Member of the California State Assembly
from the 21st district
2012–2022 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 13th congressional district
2025–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
393rd 		Succeeded by
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