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The California governor, a leading member of the Democratic party, has disclosed that he plans to decide on whether to run for president in 2028 following the 2026 congressional elections are over.

"Yes, I couldn't be truthful if I denied it," the governor commented when pressed about giving serious thought to a presidential run following the 2026 ballots. "That wouldn't be honest. And I'm not."

The governor's time in office as California's leader ends in January 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. Yet, he noted that any determination is a long way off.

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

Rising Profile as a Administration Opponent

Newsom has stepped forward as a notable adversary of the former president's team, leveraging his digital presence and championing a ballot measure that would increase Democratic congressional seats in as a counter to GOP gerrymandering. This strategy has invited attacks from critics.

Controversy Over Funds

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom does not care about the state's residents in a Sunday segment on a major news network. The secretary announced plans to withhold government money from the state and threatened revoking the power to provide CDLs.

"I plan to withdraw $160 million from California," he declared, in the wake of a recent tragic collision in California involving an unauthorized semi truck driver that caused fatalities and injured individuals.

The governor's team pointed out that the national authorities had approved the individual's authorization multiple times, which permitted him to secure a trucking license under national regulations.

Duffy had before stated he was withholding additional funds from California for failing to implement language proficiency rules for truck drivers.

Strong Response from the Governor's Office

"Former D-list reality star, now cabinet member, continues to misunderstand federal law," Newsom's office said in a recent comment addressing the secretary's comments. "For now, as opposed to this individual, we'll stick to the facts: California CDL holders had a fatal crash rate much 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 Trump administration does."

Polling Data and Campaign Considerations

A this month's survey showed that a majority of the party and almost half of voters believed that the governor must consider running for president in the next election cycle. After the current administration began, public support for the governor has grown to an mean of 33.5% from approximately 30%, while his negative ratings has fallen from an average of over 40% to 38.4%.

In previous months, the governor remarked while on a trip several battleground states that he had "uncertainty" about his plans for 2028.

He also referenced his earlier challenges, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of five.

"The thought that a person who got 960 on his SAT, who continues to find reading challenging, who was typically not at the front – the fact that this is even suggested is, by itself, amazing," he said. "It's anyone's guess? I'm looking forward to who presents themselves in 2028 and who meets that moment. And that remains the key point for the voters."