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The California governor, a well-known member of the Democratic party, has disclosed that he will determine whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 after the 2026 midterm elections wrap up.

"Yeah, I couldn't be truthful otherwise," Newsom stated when pressed about giving serious thought to a presidential run post the 2026 midterms. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I can't do that."

The governor's time in office as governor concludes in the start of 2027, and term limits prevent another run. Yet, he cautioned that any decision is still years away.

"Fate will determine that," he remarked.

Increased Visibility as a Trump Critic

The California governor has come to the forefront as a notable opponent of the former president's team, employing his digital presence and championing a initiative that would increase the party's representation in Congress in response to GOP gerrymandering. This move has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Federal Funding Dispute

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 intentions to pull federal funds from the state and threatened revoking the state's ability to provide commercial driver's licenses.

"I intend to cut $160m from California," Duffy said, in the wake of a recently reported tragic collision in the state involving an undocumented commercial driver that led to fatalities and four injuries.

His administration highlighted that the federal government had reauthorized the driver's employment multiple times, which allowed him to receive a commercial driver's license under federal law.

Duffy had before indicated he was holding back additional funds from California for failing to implement linguistic standards for truck drivers.

Firm Rebuttal from the Team

"Ex-reality TV personality, now transportation chief, fails to grasp U.S. regulations," his administration retorted in a recent statement countering Duffy's threats. "For now, unlike this clown, we'll stick to the facts: California commercial driver's license holders had a fatal crash rate much lower than the countrywide rate. Texas – the only state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate substantially higher than California. Statistics are clear. This administration is dishonest."

Public Opinion and Political Future

A recent study found that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and 48% of all registered voters believed that Newsom should run for president in the next election cycle. In recent years, Newsom's favorability has grown to an typical level of about one-third from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has fallen from an average of more than 40% to current figures.

In previous months, the governor commented while traveling several battleground states that he had "uncertainty" about his future for the next presidential election.

He also referenced his past difficulties, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at the early childhood.

"The thought that a guy who got 960 on his SAT, who still struggles to read scripts, who was always in the back of the classroom – the idea that you would even throw that out is, alone, amazing," he said. "It's anyone's guess? I await who steps forward in the next election and who answers the call. And that's the question for the U.S. citizens."