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Gavin Newsom, a prominent Democratic figure, has indicated that he plans to make a decision about whether to run for president in 2028 once the 2026 congressional elections are over.

"Absolutely, it would be dishonest if I said no," the governor remarked when questioned about giving serious thought to a presidential run post the 2026 elections. "That wouldn't be honest. And I'm not."

Newsom's current term as California's leader wraps up in early 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. However, he noted that any choice is still years away.

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

Increased Visibility as a Political Adversary

He has come to the forefront as a prominent critic of the Trump administration, employing his digital presence and advocating for a initiative that would increase the party's House seats in as a counter to Republican redistricting efforts. This action has made him a target from adversaries.

Controversy Over Funds

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom does not care about the state's residents in a recent segment on Fox News. The secretary announced intentions to cut federal funds from the state and threatened revoking the authority to grant CDLs.

"I plan to withdraw $160m from California," Duffy declared, following a recent fatal crash in California involving an unauthorized commercial driver that led to fatalities and injured individuals.

Newsom's office highlighted that the national authorities had renewed the individual's authorization repeatedly, which permitted him to receive a trucking license under U.S. law.

Duffy had before stated he was holding back $40 million from the state for failing to implement language proficiency rules for truck drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Team

"Former D-list reality star, now Secretary of Transportation, continues to misunderstand national statutes," the governor's team said in a previous comment countering Duffy's threats. "For now, unlike this clown, we focus on reality: The state's CDL holders had a death rate nearly 40% lower than the countrywide rate. Texas – the sole state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate almost 50% higher than the state. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Public Opinion and Political Future

A this month's survey found that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters 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 increased to an mean of a third from around 30%, while his negative ratings has decreased from an average of previous highs to current figures.

Earlier this year, Newsom stated while on a trip several battleground states that he had "no idea" about his intentions for the next presidential election.

He mentioned his personal struggles, including being found to have a learning disability at the young age of five.

"The idea that a individual who got 960 on his SAT, 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, alone, remarkable," he stated. "Who the hell knows? I am eager to see who steps forward in 2028 and who rises to the occasion. And that's the question for the U.S. citizens."