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The California governor, a well-known Democratic figure, has revealed that he intends to determine whether to seek the White House in 2028 following the 2026 congressional elections are over.

"Absolutely, it would be dishonest if I said no," Newsom stated when questioned about seriously considering a presidential run post the 2026 elections. "I'd just be lying. And I won't do that."

The governor's current term as governor wraps up in January 2027, and he cannot run again. However, he cautioned that any determination is still years away.

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

Growing Prominence as a Political Adversary

He has stepped forward as a prominent critic of the former president's team, leveraging his digital presence and advocating for a proposition that would increase the party's representation in Congress in following Republican redistricting efforts. This move has made him a target from critics.

Clash on Transportation

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, accused that the governor shows no concern about Californians in a recent interview on Fox News. Duffy disclosed intentions to withhold federal funds from California and warned eliminating the state's ability to grant CDLs.

"I'm about to pull $160m from the state," he said, following a recently reported tragic collision in California involving an unauthorized semi truck driver that caused loss of life and injured individuals.

His administration noted that the U.S. government had renewed the worker's status on several occasions, which enabled him to obtain a CDL under national regulations.

Duffy had before stated he was holding back $40m from the state for ignoring language proficiency rules for truck drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Administration

"Ex-reality TV personality, now Secretary of Transportation, continues to misunderstand federal law," his administration responded in a last month's release responding to the secretary's comments. "In the meantime, as opposed to this individual, we rely on data: The state's commercial driver's license holders had a accident mortality rate nearly 40% lower than the U.S. average. Texas – the only state with more commercial holders – has a rate substantially higher than the state. Data speaks for itself. This administration is dishonest."

Polling Data and Future Prospects

A recent study found that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and almost half of voters indicated that Newsom should run for president in the next election cycle. Since Trump took office, Newsom's favorability has risen to an typical level of about one-third from previous levels, while his unfavorability has decreased from an typical level of more than 40% to current figures.

In previous months, Newsom remarked while visiting several key regions that he had "no idea" about his future for 2028.

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

"The notion that a guy who scored 960 on the SAT, who continues to find reading challenging, who was typically not at the front – the fact that this is even suggested is, by itself, remarkable," he commented. "Who the hell knows? I await who presents themselves in the next election and who answers the call. And that's the question for the voters."