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Gavin Newsom, a prominent Democratic figure, has indicated that he plans to decide on whether to run for president in 2028 after the 2026 midterm elections conclude.

"Absolutely, it would be dishonest if I denied it," the governor remarked when questioned about giving serious thought to a presidential run after the 2026 ballots. "I'd just be lying. And I won't do that."

Newsom's tenure as California's leader concludes in January 2027, and term limits prevent another run. However, he emphasized that any determination is a long way off.

"It's up to destiny," he remarked.

Growing Prominence as a Administration Opponent

Newsom has stepped forward as a prominent adversary of the Trump administration, employing his online platforms and championing a ballot measure that would boost Democratic congressional seats in as a counter to GOP gerrymandering. This action has made him a target from adversaries.

Federal Funding Dispute

Donald Trump's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, alleged that Newsom does not care about Californians in a weekend segment on Fox News. The secretary disclosed plans to pull taxpayer dollars from California and suggested revoking the state's ability to issue CDLs.

"I intend to cut $160 million from California," he said, after a recent fatal crash in the state involving an non-citizen commercial driver that resulted in three deaths and injured individuals.

His administration noted that the national authorities had approved the worker's status repeatedly, which permitted him to obtain a CDL under U.S. law.

Duffy had before announced he was holding back additional funds from the state for failing to implement linguistic standards for commercial drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Administration

"Former D-list reality star, now Secretary of Transportation, fails to grasp federal law," his administration said in a previous release addressing the secretary's comments. "Meanwhile, as opposed to this individual, we focus on reality: The state's truck drivers had a fatal crash rate significantly lower than the national average. The state of Texas – the sole state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate markedly elevated than the state. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Polling Data and Political Future

A this month's survey showed that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and 48% of all registered voters indicated that the governor ought to campaign for president in the next election cycle. In recent years, Newsom's favorability has risen to an typical level of a third from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has dropped from an mean of more than 40% to 38.4%.

In previous months, the governor stated while on a trip several battleground states that he had "no clue" about his plans for the next presidential election.

He mentioned his earlier challenges, including being identified as dyslexic at the age of five.

"The idea that a person who scored 960 on the SAT, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was often seated at the back – the fact that this is even suggested is, alone, amazing," he said. "It's anyone's guess? I'm looking forward to who emerges in the next election and who rises to the occasion. And that remains the key point for the U.S. citizens."