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Gavin Newsom, a prominent member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he intends to decide on whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 once the 2026 elections are over.

"Yes, I couldn't be truthful if I said no," Newsom remarked when pressed about giving serious thought to a White House bid post the 2026 midterms. "I'd just be lying. And I'm not."

Newsom's time in office as governor ends in the start of 2027, and term limits prevent another run. However, he cautioned that any choice is still years away.

"Fate will determine that," he said.

Growing Prominence as a Trump Critic

Newsom has stepped forward as a notable critic of the current federal leadership, employing his digital presence and championing a proposition that would boost the party's House seats in following Republican redistricting efforts. This strategy has invited attacks from political opponents.

Clash on Transportation

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, accused that Newsom is indifferent about the state's residents in a recent appearance on Fox News. The secretary disclosed plans to pull government money from California and threatened suspending the authority to issue commercial driver's licenses.

"I intend to cut a significant sum from the state," Duffy declared, after a recently reported deadly accident in the state involving an undocumented trucker that resulted in fatalities and four injuries.

His administration pointed out that the federal government had approved the individual's authorization on several occasions, which enabled him to secure a trucking license under federal law.

Duffy had before indicated he was blocking $40m from California for failing to implement English language requirements for truck drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Governor's Office

"One-time television figure, now transportation chief, still doesn't understand federal law," Newsom's office said in a last month's comment addressing Duffy's threats. "For now, unlike this clown, we rely on data: The state's truck drivers had a fatal crash rate much lower than the U.S. average. The state of Texas – the only state with more commercial holders – has a rate substantially higher than the state. Statistics are clear. The federal leadership misleads."

Polling Data and Campaign Considerations

A recently conducted study revealed that 72% of Democrats and almost half of voters said that Newsom must consider running for president in 2028. After the current administration began, public support for the governor has increased to an average of a third from previous levels, while his unfavorability has dropped from an typical level of previous highs to current figures.

In previous months, the governor stated while visiting several battleground states that he had "no clue" about his plans for 2028.

He also referenced his personal struggles, including being found to have a learning disability at the age of five.

"The thought that a individual who got 960 on his SAT, who still struggles to read scripts, who was always in the back of the classroom – the idea that you would even throw that out is, alone, remarkable," he commented. "It's anyone's guess? I'm looking forward to who emerges in the next election and who rises to the occasion. And that's the question for the U.S. citizens."