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The California governor, a leading Democratic figure, has disclosed that he plans to decide on whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 once the 2026 midterm elections conclude.

"Yes, it would be dishonest otherwise," Newsom stated when questioned about seriously considering a presidential run post the 2026 elections. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I'm not."

Newsom's current term as California's leader concludes in the start of 2027, and term limits prevent another run. Yet, he emphasized that any choice is a long way off.

"Fate will determine that," he added.

Growing Prominence as a Administration Opponent

He has emerged as a prominent opponent of the Trump administration, leveraging his digital presence and championing a ballot measure that would expand Democratic representation in Congress in as a counter to GOP gerrymandering. This move has drawn criticism from critics.

Clash on Transportation

Donald Trump's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, accused that the governor does not care about the state's residents in a recent appearance on Fox News. The secretary revealed a strategy to withhold government money from the state and threatened eliminating the authority to provide CDLs.

"I'm about to pull $160m from the state," he said, following a recent fatal crash in California involving an undocumented semi truck driver that led to three deaths and casualties.

Newsom's office pointed out that the federal government had renewed the worker's status multiple times, which allowed him to secure a trucking license under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had before announced he was blocking $40 million from the state for ignoring language proficiency rules for commercial drivers.

Firm Rebuttal from the Administration

"One-time television figure, now transportation chief, fails to grasp national statutes," the governor's team responded in a last month's statement responding to Duffy's threats. "In the meantime, as opposed to this individual, we focus on reality: California CDL holders had a death rate nearly 40% lower than the national average. Texas – the sole state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate almost 50% higher than California. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Polling Data and Future Prospects

A recent study showed that a majority of the party and almost half of voters believed that Newsom should run for president in the next election cycle. Since Trump took office, Newsom's favorability has grown to an typical level of a third from previous levels, while his negative ratings has decreased from an average of over 40% to under 40%.

Some time ago, the governor commented while visiting several swing states that he had "no idea" about his future for the next presidential election.

He noted his past difficulties, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at the early childhood.

"The thought that a individual who got 960 on his SAT, who continues to find reading challenging, who was often seated at the back – the fact that this is even suggested is, in and of itself, amazing," he commented. "No one can say? I am eager to see who presents themselves in 2028 and who meets that moment. And that's the question for the American people."