# Adam Gray

Adam Channing Gray (born September 23, 1977) is an American politician who is a member of the United States House of Representatives from California's 13th congressional district after defeating Republican incumbent John Duarte in the 2024 election. A Democrat, he previously served in the California State Assembly and represented the 21st Assembly district, encompassing all of Merced County and portions of Stanislaus County. He was a candidate in the 2022 election for California's 13th congressional district, narrowly losing in the general election to Duarte.

## Early life and education

Adam Channing Gray was born on September 23, 1977 in Merced, California. He grew up working in his family's dairy supply and feed store.
Gray graduated from Golden Valley High School in Merced and then attended Merced College before earning his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

## Early career

Gray worked in the district office of Assembly member Dennis Cardoza. He was also a staffer for lawmakers Herb Wesson, Fabian Nunez, and Jerome Horton.
Gray was also a member of the staff of state Senator Ron Calderon. In July 2013, Gray testified in the federal investigation involving corruption charges against Calderon.

## California State Assembly

Gray was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2012, receiving 58.2% of the vote. In the 2014 primary election, Gray 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. 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. He was chairman of the Governmental Organization Committee, but was stripped of his chairmanship in December 2020 due to a dispute over water rights.
In July 2014, Gray supported Merced and Stanislaus counties as a potential site for Tesla Motors' multibillion-dollar "Giga-Factory".

## U.S. House of Representatives
### Elections
#### 2022

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. He advanced from the June 2022 primary and faced Republican pistachio farmer John Duarte in the November 2022 general election. He conceded the race on December 3, 2022, shortly after the race was called by the Associated Press. It was one of the last U.S. House races in the country to be decided; Gray lost by only 564 votes.

#### 2024

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

### Tenure

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

### Committee assignments

For the 119th Congress:
* Committee on Agriculture
** Subcommittee Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development
** Subcommittee Forestry and Horticulture
** Subcommittee Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry (Vice Ranking Member)
* Committee on Natural Resources
** Subcommittee Oversight and Investigations
** Subcommittee Water, Wildlife and Fisheries

### Caucus memberships

Gray's caucus memberships include:
* Blue Dog Coalition
* New Democrat Coalition

## Electoral history
### 2014

California's 21st State Assembly district election, 2014 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Adam Gray (incumbent) | 26,015 | 95.3 |
| | Republican | Jack Mobley (write-in) | 1,286 | 4.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 65,430 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

California's 21st State Assembly district election, 2016 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | 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 | Total votes | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 123,220 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2018

California's 21st State Assembly district election, 2018 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Adam Gray (incumbent) | 43,023 | 99.9 |
| | Libertarian | Justin Ryan Quigley (write-in) | 49 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 104,175 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

2020 California's 21st State Assembly district election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | 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 | Total votes | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | | |

### 2024

California's 13th congressional district, 2024 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Duarte (incumbent) | 47,219 | 54.9 |
| | Democratic | Adam Gray | 38,754 | 45.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 210,921 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |