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Gavin Newsom, a well-known member of the Democratic party, has indicated that he will determine whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 after the 2026 congressional elections are over.

"Yes, it would be dishonest otherwise," the governor stated when asked about seriously considering a White House bid post the 2026 elections. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I won't do that."

Newsom's current term as California's leader wraps up in early 2027, and term limits prevent another run. But, he noted that any decision is not imminent.

"Fate will determine that," he remarked.

Rising Profile as a Administration Opponent

The California governor has stepped forward as a high-profile critic of the current federal leadership, using his online platforms and championing a initiative that would boost Democratic House seats in as a counter to GOP gerrymandering. This action has made him a target from critics.

Federal Funding Dispute

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom does not care about Californians in a Sunday interview on Fox News. The secretary disclosed a strategy to pull federal funds from the state and warned eliminating the authority to issue CDLs.

"I intend to cut $160m from the state," Duffy stated, after a recently reported fatal crash in California involving an unauthorized trucker that caused fatalities and injured individuals.

The governor's team noted that the U.S. government had reauthorized the worker's status on several occasions, which enabled him to receive a trucking license under federal law.

The transportation secretary had before stated he was withholding additional funds from California for failing to implement language proficiency rules for CDL holders.

Strong Response from the Team

"Former D-list reality star, now transportation chief, still doesn't understand federal law," his administration retorted in a recent statement addressing Duffy's threats. "In the meantime, in contrast to this person, we focus on reality: The state's CDL holders had a accident mortality rate nearly 40% lower than the national average. The state of Texas – the only state with more commercial holders – has a rate almost 50% higher than the state. Statistics are clear. The Trump administration does."

Public Opinion and Campaign Considerations

A this month's survey showed that 72% of Democrats and almost half of voters believed that Newsom should run for the White House in the next election cycle. Since Trump took office, his approval ratings has grown to an mean of a third from approximately 30%, while his negative ratings has dropped from an typical level of over 40% to 38.4%.

Some time ago, Newsom commented while traveling several battleground states that he had "no clue" about his plans for 2028.

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

"The thought that a guy who had modest test scores, who still struggles to read scripts, who was always in the back of the classroom – the idea that you would even throw that out is, by itself, extraordinary," he commented. "Who the hell knows? I am eager to see who steps forward in the next election and who meets that moment. And that's the question for the voters."