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Gavin Newsom, a well-known Democratic figure, has revealed that he intends to decide on whether to seek the White House in 2028 after the 2026 congressional elections wrap up.

"Yes, I couldn't be truthful if I said no," Newsom commented when asked about contemplating a campaign for president following the 2026 ballots. "That wouldn't be honest. And I'm not."

Newsom's time in office as governor ends in the start of 2027, and he cannot run again. However, he cautioned that any determination is a long way off.

"Fate will determine that," he said.

Growing Prominence as a Administration Opponent

The California governor has stepped forward as a high-profile adversary of the former president's team, leveraging his social media accounts and advocating for a ballot measure that would boost Democratic representation in Congress in as a counter to redistricting by Republicans. This strategy has invited attacks from political opponents.

Controversy Over Funds

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom does not care about the state's residents in a recent segment on a major news network. Duffy disclosed a strategy to withhold taxpayer dollars from the state and warned revoking the power to issue trucking licenses.

"I'm about to pull a significant sum from the state," he stated, following a recent tragic collision in the state involving an unauthorized commercial driver that resulted in loss of life and casualties.

His administration noted that the national authorities had reauthorized the driver's employment repeatedly, which allowed him to receive a commercial driver's license under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had earlier announced he was withholding additional funds from California for ignoring linguistic standards for truck drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Administration

"Former D-list reality star, now Secretary of Transportation, fails to grasp federal law," his administration retorted in a last month's comment addressing the funding warnings. "For now, unlike this clown, we rely on data: California commercial driver's license holders had a death rate much lower than the U.S. average. The state of Texas – the single state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate markedly elevated than California. Data speaks for itself. The Trump administration does."

Polling Data and Campaign Considerations

A this month's study showed that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and a significant portion of the electorate believed that the governor should run for the White House in the next election cycle. In recent years, public support for the governor has increased to an average of 33.5% from approximately 30%, while his unfavorability has dropped from an typical level of previous highs to under 40%.

Some time ago, Newsom remarked while traveling several battleground states that he had "uncertainty" about his intentions for the next presidential election.

He noted his past difficulties, including being found to have a learning disability at the early childhood.

"The notion that a guy who scored 960 on the SAT, who still struggles to read scripts, who was often seated at the back – the fact that this is even suggested is, alone, remarkable," he said. "It's anyone's guess? I am eager to see who steps forward in the next election and who answers the call. And that is the issue for the U.S. citizens."