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Gavin Newsom, a leading member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he will make a decision about whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 once the 2026 midterm elections conclude.

"Absolutely, I couldn't be truthful if I denied it," Newsom commented when pressed about contemplating a White House bid post the 2026 ballots. "That wouldn't be honest. And I won't do that."

Newsom's tenure as governor concludes in January 2027, and term limits prevent another run. Yet, he noted that any decision is not imminent.

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

Rising Profile as a Political Adversary

Newsom has come to the forefront as a notable opponent of the current federal leadership, employing his social media accounts and championing a initiative that would expand the party's House seats in as a counter to redistricting by Republicans. This strategy has invited attacks from political opponents.

Clash on Transportation

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom is indifferent about Californians in a Sunday interview on Fox News. The secretary revealed a strategy to cut taxpayer dollars from California and warned revoking the authority to grant trucking licenses.

"I plan to withdraw a significant sum from California," he said, following a recently reported deadly accident in the state involving an undocumented commercial driver that caused fatalities and four injuries.

His administration pointed out that the federal government had reauthorized the driver's employment on several occasions, which permitted him to obtain a commercial driver's license under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had before announced he was withholding $40m from the state for ignoring linguistic standards for CDL holders.

Pointed Reply from the Governor's Office

"Former D-list reality star, now Secretary of Transportation, fails to grasp U.S. regulations," the governor's team said in a last month's comment addressing Duffy's threats. "Meanwhile, in contrast to this person, we focus on reality: California CDL holders had a death rate significantly lower than the U.S. average. Texas – the only state with more commercial holders – has a rate almost 50% higher than California. Facts don't lie. The Trump administration does."

Public Opinion and Political Future

A this month's poll found that 72% of Democrats and a significant portion of the electorate indicated that the governor should run for president in 2028. Since Trump took office, Newsom's favorability has increased to an average of about one-third from around 30%, while his negative ratings has decreased from an average of more than 40% to 38.4%.

Earlier this year, Newsom remarked while visiting several battleground states that he had "no clue" about his future for 2028.

He mentioned his earlier challenges, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at the early childhood.

"The thought that a person who got 960 on his SAT, who continues to find reading challenging, who was always in the back of the classroom – that such a possibility is discussed is, by itself, remarkable," he said. "Who the hell knows? I'm looking forward to who presents themselves in the next election and who meets that moment. And that remains the key point for the American people."