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Gavin Newsom, a well-known member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he plans to make a decision about whether to run for president in 2028 once the 2026 elections are over.

"Absolutely, I couldn't be truthful if I denied it," the governor stated when asked about seriously considering a presidential run post the 2026 ballots. "That wouldn't be honest. And I won't do that."

The governor's tenure as governor wraps up in January 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. Yet, he noted that any choice is a long way off.

"Fate will determine that," he remarked.

Rising Profile as a Political Adversary

The California governor has emerged as a notable adversary of the current federal leadership, leveraging his online platforms and pushing a ballot measure that would increase the party's House seats in as a counter to GOP gerrymandering. This strategy has invited attacks from political opponents.

Controversy Over Funds

Donald Trump's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, alleged that Newsom is indifferent about Californians in a weekend interview on a major news network. The secretary revealed intentions to withhold taxpayer dollars from California and suggested revoking the power to provide trucking licenses.

"I intend to cut $160m from the state," he declared, in the wake of a recently reported deadly accident in California involving an non-citizen trucker that resulted in loss of life and casualties.

The governor's team noted that the federal government had reauthorized the individual's authorization on several occasions, which enabled him to secure a commercial driver's license under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had earlier announced he was blocking $40m from the state for failing to implement language proficiency rules for CDL holders.

Strong Response from the Administration

"Former D-list reality star, now cabinet member, continues to misunderstand federal law," his administration said in a previous comment addressing the funding warnings. "For now, as opposed to this individual, we focus on reality: California CDL holders had a fatal crash rate nearly 40% lower than the U.S. average. Texas – the sole state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate substantially higher than the state. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Voter Sentiment and Campaign Considerations

A this month's poll found that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and almost half of voters believed that Newsom must consider running for president in the next election cycle. After the current administration began, Newsom's favorability has risen to an typical level of a third from approximately 30%, while his negative ratings has fallen from an average of more than 40% to under 40%.

In previous months, Newsom commented while visiting several key regions that he had "no clue" about his intentions for 2028.

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

"The thought that a person who scored 960 on the SAT, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was often seated at the back – the idea that you would even throw that out is, in and of itself, extraordinary," he said. "No one can say? I'm looking forward to who emerges in the next election and who answers the call. And that's the question for the voters."