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Gavin Newsom, a prominent member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he will decide on whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 after the 2026 congressional elections conclude.

"Absolutely, I couldn't be truthful otherwise," Newsom remarked when pressed about seriously considering a presidential run following the 2026 midterms. "I'd just be lying. And I can't do that."

The governor's tenure as governor concludes in January 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. Yet, he cautioned that any choice is a long way off.

"Fate will determine that," he said.

Increased Visibility as a Administration Opponent

Newsom has stepped forward as a high-profile critic of the former president's team, using his digital presence and championing a initiative that would boost the party's congressional seats in following GOP gerrymandering. This action has invited attacks from adversaries.

Clash on Transportation

Donald Trump's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, accused that the governor is indifferent about Californians in a Sunday interview on a major news network. Duffy disclosed a strategy to withhold government money from California and threatened eliminating the power to issue CDLs.

"I'm about to pull $160m from the state," he said, after a recent tragic collision in the state involving an unauthorized commercial driver that resulted in loss of life and casualties.

Newsom's office pointed out that the U.S. government had approved the worker's status multiple times, which allowed him to receive a commercial driver's license under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had previously stated he was withholding $40 million from the state for ignoring language proficiency rules for truck drivers.

Strong Response from the Administration

"Former D-list reality star, now transportation chief, still doesn't understand federal law," Newsom's office said in a recent comment responding to Duffy's threats. "In the meantime, as opposed to this individual, we rely on data: California CDL holders had a death rate significantly lower than the countrywide rate. Texas – the only state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate markedly elevated than California. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Polling Data and Future Prospects

A this month's study revealed that a majority of the party and a significant portion of the electorate said that Newsom should run for president in 2028. Since Trump took office, public support for the governor has grown to an average of about one-third from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has dropped from an mean of over 40% to 38.4%.

In previous months, the governor commented while visiting several battleground states that he had "uncertainty" about his plans for 2028.

He also referenced his earlier challenges, including being identified as dyslexic at the early childhood.

"The notion that a person who got 960 on his SAT, who continues to find reading challenging, who was typically not at the front – the fact that this is even suggested is, in and of itself, extraordinary," he said. "Who the hell knows? I await who presents themselves in the next election and who answers the call. And that's the question for the U.S. citizens."