Republican ad says Rep. Adam Gray is ‘punishing our troops.’ Is it correct?
Rep. Adam Gray was one of only five Democrats last week to vote for the $831.5 billion bill to fund the Defense Department, a bill that would give military personnel a 3.8% pay raise on January 1.
But Republicans have launched an ad saying Gray, D-Merced, and 14 of his politically vulnerable Democratic colleagues were ”punishing our troops.” They’re “hurting military families, putting all of us in danger,” the ad says.
Republicans cite Gray’s July 3 no vote on the Trump administration’s Beautiful Bill, which included billions in defense spending but also made huge cuts in domestic programs such as Medicaid and food assistance. Gray explained he objected to what he called “extreme measures” that would hurt his constituents.
But when a separate bill on defense spending came up last week, he voted yes. The bill was lauded by California Republican colleague Ken Calvert, chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee.
The bill, said Calvert, R-Corona, “advances our national security goals by investing in the platforms and programs that enhance America’s military dominance.” He noted “ Our troops are the backbone of our national security and receive a well-deserved pay raise in this bill.”
Gray’s views were similar.
He said he voted yes because the bill “will enhance military readiness, improve quality of life for our service members and give all members of our military a pay raise.”
The Republican case
Asked for evidence Gray opposed important defense priorities, Christian Martinez, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, cited Gray’s vote on the Big Beautiful Bill that will keep most income tax rates at current levels and reduce spending.
The bill, signed into law by President Donald Trump July 4, provides $156 billion in spending increases in several military areas.
There’s $9 billion for service member special pay and allowances, and improvements to housing, healthcare and assistance to military families. The shipbuilding and the maritime industrial base got $34 billion to expand.
Also in the bill is $21 billion for restocking the country’s munitions arsenal and expand production, $12 billion to improve infrastructure at military depots and shipyards, and more.
Gray is regarded as one of the country’s most vulnerable members of Congress. He won his seat last year by 187 votes, and Republicans have been hammering him constantly about his votes and his politics.
After the Big Beautiful Bill passed on July 3, Gray explained his opposition. He called the legislation “a partisan spending bill that will blow up our federal deficit, increase our national debt, raise healthcare premiums on Valley families and put our rural hospitals at risk of closing.”
Friday, after the Republican ad appeared, Gray was critical of the Republicans’ including defense-related provisions in the bill.
“If my colleagues across the aisle were serious about getting provisions for our service members passed, they would stop playing cynical, political games and let important provisions like these stand alone,” he told The Bee, instead of attaching the military provisions to what he called “extreme measures.”
Yes on defense spending
Two weeks after the Big Beautiful Bill vote, the House considered the annual defense spending bill, which officially spells out what can be spent in the 12 months that begin Oct. 1, the start of the 2026 fiscal year.
The House vote was 221 to 209, with Gray and four other Democrats, none from California, joining 216 Republicans.
Six days later, the NRCC, the Republican Party’s House campaign arm, launched its ad. Among its targets were five other California Democrats who did oppose the bill – Reps. Jim Costa of Fresno, Josh Harder of Stockton. George Whitesides of Palmdale, Derek Tran of Garden Grove and Mike Levin of Carlsbad.
“Our troops sacrifice everything for America. Democrats sacrifice their well-being for politics,” it begins.
It says, “Democrats pushed the largest tax hike in generations. Punishing our troops, making them pay thousands more.” The NRCC did not say how much the ad cost.
The Big Beautiful Bill extends current income tax rates and other tax policies that were due to expire this year. It also added new breaks, such as no tax on tips or overtime for qualifying taxpayers.
If current tax laws were not extended, independent analysts said, the average middle income American family would pay about $1,700 more next year in federal tax.
Added NRCC spokesman Martinez, “Out of touch Democrat Adam Gray voted to shortchange our troops and squeeze military families with higher taxes. Gray turned his back on our heroes, and Californians won’t forget it.”
The same day as the ad was launched, the Armed Services Committee approved a Gray-authored bill to help veterans with copays at VA health clinics. It passed the committee on a voice vote. It’s likely to get a full House vote this fall.
This story was originally published July 25, 2025 at 3:56 PM with the headline "Republican ad says Rep. Adam Gray is ‘punishing our troops.’ Is it correct?."
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