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

"Absolutely, it would be dishonest if I denied it," Newsom stated when pressed about contemplating a campaign for president post the 2026 ballots. "I'd just be lying. And I can't do that."

The governor's tenure as California's leader concludes in the start of 2027, and he cannot run again. Yet, he cautioned that any choice is a long way off.

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

Increased Visibility as a Administration Opponent

Newsom has stepped forward as a notable critic of the former president's team, leveraging his digital presence and championing a ballot measure that would expand Democratic representation in Congress in following redistricting by Republicans. This action has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Federal Funding Dispute

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that the governor is indifferent about the state's residents in a Sunday appearance on Fox News. The secretary announced intentions to withhold taxpayer dollars from the state and warned revoking the authority to grant commercial driver's licenses.

"I plan to withdraw $160 million from California," Duffy stated, after a recently reported fatal crash in California involving an non-citizen semi truck driver that resulted in fatalities and casualties.

His administration highlighted that the U.S. government had renewed the individual's authorization multiple times, which permitted him to secure a trucking license under national regulations.

The transportation secretary had before indicated he was holding back $40m from the state for ignoring English language requirements for CDL holders.

Strong Response from the Team

"Former D-list reality star, now transportation chief, continues to misunderstand national statutes," Newsom's office responded in a last month's release addressing the secretary's comments. "In the meantime, as opposed to this individual, we focus on reality: California truck drivers had a fatal crash rate much lower than the countrywide rate. The state of Texas – the sole state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate markedly elevated than California. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Polling Data and Political Future

A recently conducted study showed that 72% of Democrats and a significant portion of the electorate said that the governor should run for the White House in the next election cycle. In recent years, Newsom's favorability has risen to an average of a third from around 30%, while his disapproval has decreased from an mean of previous highs to under 40%.

Some time ago, the governor commented while traveling several swing states that he had "no clue" about his future for 2028.

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

"The notion that a individual who got 960 on his SAT, who still struggles to read scripts, who was typically not at the front – the fact that this is even suggested is, by itself, remarkable," he said. "Who the hell knows? I am eager to see who steps forward in 2028 and who answers the call. And that is the issue for the American people."