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The California governor, a prominent member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he plans to make a decision about whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 after the 2026 elections are over.

"Yeah, I would be lying otherwise," the governor commented when pressed about seriously considering a presidential run post the 2026 midterms. "That wouldn't be honest. And I'm not."

The governor's time in office as governor wraps up in the start of 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. But, he emphasized that any choice is not imminent.

"Fate will determine that," he added.

Growing Prominence as a Political Adversary

Newsom has come to the forefront as a prominent opponent of the Trump administration, leveraging his digital presence and advocating for a proposition that would boost the party's House seats in as a counter to redistricting by Republicans. This action has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Controversy Over Funds

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom shows no concern about the state's residents in a recent segment on a major news network. The secretary disclosed plans to pull federal funds from the state and warned revoking the authority to provide commercial driver's licenses.

"I intend to cut $160 million from the state," Duffy declared, following a recent tragic collision in the state involving an non-citizen trucker that led to loss of life and casualties.

Newsom's office highlighted that the U.S. government had reauthorized the driver's employment repeatedly, which allowed him to obtain a commercial driver's license under federal law.

Duffy had before announced he was blocking $40 million from the state for failing to implement language proficiency rules for truck drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Team

"Former D-list reality star, now transportation chief, still doesn't understand U.S. regulations," the governor's team retorted in a previous statement addressing the secretary's comments. "Meanwhile, as opposed to this individual, we'll stick to the facts: The state's truck drivers had a fatal crash rate much 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 Future Prospects

A recent survey revealed that 72% of Democrats and a significant portion of the electorate believed that Newsom ought to campaign for president in the next election cycle. In recent years, his approval ratings has grown to an mean of a third from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has dropped from an average of more than 40% to 38.4%.

Some time ago, the governor commented while traveling several battleground states that he had "no clue" about his intentions for 2028.

He mentioned his earlier challenges, including being identified as dyslexic at the age of five.

"The thought that a guy who got 960 on his SAT, who continues to find reading challenging, who was often seated at the back – the fact that this is even suggested is, alone, remarkable," he stated. "Who the hell knows? I am eager to see who emerges in 2028 and who rises to the occasion. And that remains the key point for the American people."