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The California governor, a prominent Democratic figure, has revealed that he will determine whether to run for president in 2028 once the 2026 congressional elections conclude.

"Yeah, it would be dishonest otherwise," the governor remarked when pressed about seriously considering a White House bid following the 2026 elections. "I'd just be lying. And I'm not."

Newsom's current term as governor ends in the start of 2027, and term limits prevent another run. However, he cautioned that any decision is still years away.

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

Increased Visibility as a Trump Critic

He has come to the forefront as a notable critic of the Trump administration, using his social media accounts and championing a initiative that would boost Democratic representation in Congress in as a counter to Republican redistricting efforts. This action has made him a target from adversaries.

Federal Funding Dispute

Donald Trump's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, claimed that the governor shows no concern about Californians in a recent appearance on a major news network. The secretary disclosed plans to withhold taxpayer dollars from the state and suggested suspending the power to provide CDLs.

"I plan to withdraw a significant sum from the state," he stated, after a this week's fatal crash in California involving an unauthorized semi truck driver that led to fatalities and casualties.

His administration pointed out that the federal government had reauthorized the worker's status multiple times, which allowed him to obtain a trucking license under federal law.

The transportation secretary had earlier stated he was withholding $40 million from California for not enforcing linguistic standards for CDL holders.

Strong Response from the Administration

"Ex-reality TV personality, now Secretary of Transportation, fails to grasp national statutes," his administration said in a recent release responding to the funding warnings. "Meanwhile, as opposed to this individual, we focus on reality: California commercial driver's license holders had a fatal crash rate much lower than the national average. Texas – the only state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate substantially higher than the state. Facts don't lie. This administration is dishonest."

Polling Data and Campaign Considerations

A this month's study showed that 72% of Democrats and almost half of voters said that the governor must consider running for the White House in the next election cycle. Since Trump took office, public support for the governor has grown to an mean of about one-third from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has fallen from an typical level of over 40% to 38.4%.

In previous months, Newsom stated while visiting several battleground states that he had "uncertainty" about his future for the next presidential election.

He mentioned his earlier challenges, including being found to have a learning disability at the early childhood.

"The notion that a guy who had modest test scores, who continues to find reading challenging, who was often seated at the back – that such a possibility is discussed is, alone, extraordinary," he said. "No one can say? I am eager to see who emerges in 2028 and who rises to the occasion. And that is the issue for the voters."