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Gavin Newsom, a prominent member of the Democratic party, has indicated that he plans to make a decision about whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 after the 2026 midterm elections are over.

"Yeah, I would be lying if I said no," Newsom commented when questioned about giving serious thought to a campaign for president following the 2026 midterms. "I'd just be lying. And I'm not."

The governor's current term as California's leader concludes in the start of 2027, and he cannot run again. Yet, he noted that any choice is a long way off.

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

Increased Visibility as a Political Adversary

He has emerged as a prominent critic of the Trump administration, employing his digital presence and advocating for a ballot measure that would expand Democratic representation in Congress in as a counter to Republican redistricting efforts. This action has made him a target from critics.

Clash on Transportation

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that the governor is indifferent about Californians in a Sunday appearance on Fox News. The secretary announced a strategy to pull taxpayer dollars from California and threatened suspending the authority to provide trucking licenses.

"I'm about to pull $160m from the state," he said, following a recent deadly accident in the state involving an undocumented trucker that resulted in loss of life and injured individuals.

His administration pointed out that the federal government had renewed the individual's authorization multiple times, which permitted him to receive a CDL under federal law.

The transportation secretary had before indicated he was holding back additional funds from the state for ignoring linguistic standards for truck drivers.

Firm Rebuttal from the Administration

"Ex-reality TV personality, now cabinet member, fails to grasp U.S. regulations," his administration retorted in a previous comment countering Duffy's threats. "Meanwhile, in contrast to this person, we rely on data: California CDL holders had a fatal crash rate significantly lower than the U.S. average. The state of Texas – the only state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate markedly elevated than the state. Facts don't lie. The federal leadership misleads."

Public Opinion and Campaign Considerations

A recently conducted survey revealed that a majority of the party and a significant portion of the electorate believed that the governor must consider running for the White House in 2028. In recent years, public support for the governor has risen to an typical level of about one-third from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has fallen from an mean of previous highs to current figures.

Earlier this year, the governor stated while visiting several key regions that he had "uncertainty" about his future for 2028.

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

"The thought that a individual who scored 960 on the SAT, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was typically not at the front – the idea that you would even throw that out is, by itself, extraordinary," he said. "It's anyone's guess? I'm looking forward to who presents themselves in the next election and who answers the call. And that remains the key point for the American people."