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The California governor, a leading member of the Democratic party, has indicated that he will make a decision about whether to run for president in 2028 after the 2026 elections conclude.

"Yes, I would be lying otherwise," Newsom commented when asked about contemplating a presidential run after the 2026 midterms. "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. Yet, he noted that any decision is a long way off.

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

Increased Visibility as a Political Adversary

The California governor has emerged as a prominent opponent of the former president's team, using his digital presence and advocating for a proposition that would increase Democratic representation in Congress in response to GOP gerrymandering. This strategy has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Controversy Over Funds

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, accused that Newsom does not care about Californians in a recent interview on a major news network. The secretary announced intentions to cut taxpayer dollars from the state and suggested suspending the authority to provide trucking licenses.

"I'm about to pull a significant sum from California," he declared, following a recent tragic collision in the state involving an unauthorized commercial driver that caused three deaths and injured individuals.

The governor's team noted that the federal government had approved the driver's employment repeatedly, which enabled him to receive a commercial driver's license under federal law.

The transportation secretary had previously indicated he was holding back $40 million from California for not enforcing English language requirements for commercial drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Administration

"Ex-reality TV personality, now cabinet member, still doesn't understand national statutes," Newsom's office retorted in a last month's release responding to the secretary's comments. "In the meantime, as opposed to this individual, we'll stick to the facts: The state's truck drivers had a accident mortality rate nearly 40% lower than the countrywide rate. The state of Texas – the sole state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate substantially higher than the state. Statistics are clear. The federal leadership misleads."

Polling Data and Political Future

A recently conducted study revealed that a majority of the party and almost half of voters said that the governor should run for the White House in 2028. Since Trump took office, his approval ratings has grown to an mean of a third from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has fallen from an mean of more than 40% to under 40%.

In previous months, the governor commented while traveling several swing states that he had "no idea" about his plans for 2028.

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

"The idea that a person who got 960 on his SAT, who still struggles to read scripts, who was often seated at the back – the fact that this is even suggested is, in and of itself, remarkable," he said. "It's anyone's guess? I am eager to see who emerges in the next election and who rises to the occasion. And that remains the key point for the American people."