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Gavin Newsom, a prominent member of the Democratic party, has indicated that he plans to determine whether to seek the White House in 2028 after the 2026 midterm elections are over.

"Absolutely, I couldn't be truthful if I said no," Newsom stated when pressed about giving serious thought to a presidential run post the 2026 ballots. "I'd just be lying. And I won't do that."

The governor's current term as governor ends in the start of 2027, and he cannot run again. However, he emphasized that any determination is not imminent.

"Fate will determine that," he said.

Increased Visibility as a Political Adversary

The California governor has emerged as a high-profile adversary of the former president's team, leveraging his social media accounts and pushing a proposition that would increase the party's House seats in as a counter to GOP gerrymandering. This strategy has made him a target from adversaries.

Clash on Transportation

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, accused that Newsom is indifferent about the state's residents in a Sunday appearance on Fox News. The secretary revealed a strategy to pull federal funds from California and threatened revoking the power to provide trucking licenses.

"I'm about to pull $160 million from California," he stated, after a recent fatal crash in the state involving an undocumented commercial driver that caused three deaths and four injuries.

His administration noted that the national authorities had reauthorized the worker's status multiple times, which permitted him to secure a CDL under federal law.

The transportation secretary had previously announced he was withholding $40m from California for not enforcing language proficiency rules for CDL holders.

Pointed Reply from the Governor's Office

"One-time television figure, now transportation chief, continues to misunderstand national statutes," the governor's team responded in a recent statement countering the secretary's comments. "In the meantime, unlike this clown, we focus on reality: California commercial driver's license holders had a fatal crash rate significantly lower than the U.S. average. The state of Texas – the single state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate substantially higher than the state. Data speaks for itself. This administration is dishonest."

Public Opinion and Future Prospects

A recent study revealed that a majority of the party and 48% of all registered voters indicated that Newsom ought to campaign for the White House in 2028. In recent years, Newsom's favorability has grown to an mean of 33.5% from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has fallen from an typical level of over 40% to under 40%.

Earlier this year, the governor commented while visiting several swing states that he had "no idea" about his plans for the next presidential election.

He also referenced his past difficulties, including being identified as dyslexic at the early childhood.

"The idea that a guy who scored 960 on the SAT, who continues to find reading challenging, who was often seated at the back – that such a possibility is discussed is, in and of itself, extraordinary," he commented. "No one can say? I await who emerges in the next election and who rises to the occasion. And that is the issue for the voters."