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Gavin Newsom, a prominent Democratic figure, has revealed that he intends to determine whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 after the 2026 congressional elections wrap up.

"Yes, I couldn't be truthful if I said no," Newsom commented when questioned about seriously considering a campaign for president post the 2026 midterms. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I won't do that."

Newsom's tenure as governor wraps up in January 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. But, he noted that any determination is a long way off.

"The future will decide," he remarked.

Rising Profile as a Trump Critic

The California governor has stepped forward as a notable adversary of the Trump administration, employing his digital presence and championing a proposition that would expand Democratic House seats in response to Republican redistricting efforts. This strategy has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Clash on Transportation

Donald Trump's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, alleged that the governor does not care about Californians in a Sunday appearance on a major news network. Duffy disclosed plans to cut taxpayer dollars from California and suggested revoking the state's ability to grant commercial driver's licenses.

"I'm about to pull $160m from California," he stated, in the wake of a recently reported tragic collision in the state involving an unauthorized semi truck driver that resulted in loss of life and injured individuals.

His administration highlighted that the federal government had renewed the worker's status on several occasions, which enabled him to receive a commercial driver's license under U.S. law.

Duffy had earlier indicated he was blocking $40m from the state for failing to implement language proficiency rules for commercial drivers.

Firm Rebuttal from the Administration

"One-time television figure, now cabinet member, still doesn't understand federal law," Newsom's office said in a last month's comment addressing the secretary's comments. "Meanwhile, as opposed to this individual, we focus on reality: The state's commercial driver's license holders had a accident mortality rate nearly 40% lower than the U.S. average. Texas – the sole state with more commercial holders – has a rate almost 50% higher than California. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Public Opinion and Political Future

A recently conducted study found that 72% of Democrats and 48% of all registered voters indicated that Newsom must consider running for the White House in 2028. Since Trump took office, public support for the governor has increased to an typical level of about one-third from previous levels, while his unfavorability has fallen from an mean of over 40% to 38.4%.

In previous months, Newsom stated while visiting several swing states that he had "no idea" about his plans for the next presidential election.

He also referenced his earlier challenges, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of five.

"The thought that a person who got 960 on his SAT, who still struggles to read scripts, who was often seated at the back – the idea that you would even throw that out is, alone, remarkable," he stated. "Who the hell knows? I'm looking forward to who presents themselves in the next election and who answers the call. And that's the question for the U.S. citizens."