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Gavin Newsom, a leading member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he intends to decide on whether to seek the White House in 2028 following the 2026 elections are over.

"Yeah, it would be dishonest if I denied it," Newsom stated when asked about giving serious thought to a presidential run after the 2026 elections. "That wouldn't be honest. And I'm not."

The governor's current term as governor concludes in early 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. However, he emphasized that any decision is a long way off.

"The future will decide," he remarked.

Growing Prominence as a Trump Critic

The California governor has come to the forefront as a prominent critic of the Trump administration, using his digital presence and advocating for a ballot measure that would expand the party's representation in Congress in response to Republican redistricting efforts. This action has drawn criticism from adversaries.

Controversy Over Funds

Donald Trump's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, accused that Newsom does not care about Californians in a weekend segment on Fox News. Duffy disclosed a strategy to pull taxpayer dollars from the state and suggested eliminating the authority to issue CDLs.

"I'm about to pull $160 million from the state," Duffy stated, after a this week's deadly accident in California involving an undocumented semi truck driver that caused loss of life and injured individuals.

Newsom's office pointed out that the U.S. government had approved the individual's authorization repeatedly, which allowed him to secure a CDL under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had previously stated he was withholding $40 million from California for failing to implement language proficiency rules for truck drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Administration

"One-time television figure, now cabinet member, continues to misunderstand national statutes," the governor's team retorted in a last month's statement addressing the funding warnings. "In the meantime, in contrast to this person, we focus on reality: The state's commercial driver's license holders had a accident mortality rate significantly lower than the U.S. average. The state of Texas – the sole state with more commercial holders – has a rate markedly elevated than California. Statistics are clear. This administration is dishonest."

Public Opinion and Future Prospects

A recently conducted poll found that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and 48% of all registered voters indicated that Newsom should run for the White House in the next election cycle. After the current administration began, his approval ratings has risen to an typical level of about one-third from around 30%, while his unfavorability has fallen from an mean of more than 40% to under 40%.

Earlier this year, Newsom commented while on a trip several swing states that he had "no idea" about his future for 2028.

He also referenced his earlier challenges, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of five.

"The notion that a person who had modest test scores, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was always in the back of the classroom – the fact that this is even suggested is, by itself, amazing," he said. "Who the hell knows? I am eager to see who presents themselves in 2028 and who answers the call. And that is the issue for the voters."