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The California governor, a well-known Democratic figure, has revealed that he intends to make a decision about whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 after the 2026 midterm elections conclude.

"Absolutely, it would be dishonest if I denied it," Newsom commented when asked about giving serious thought to a campaign for president following the 2026 elections. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I can't do that."

The governor's time in office as California's leader concludes in the start of 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. However, he noted that any choice is not imminent.

"The future will decide," he remarked.

Rising Profile as a Political Adversary

He has stepped forward as a prominent adversary of the former president's team, using his digital presence and advocating for a proposition that would boost the party's congressional seats in as a counter to redistricting by Republicans. This strategy has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Federal Funding Dispute

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, alleged that Newsom is indifferent about Californians in a Sunday appearance on a major news network. The secretary announced plans to pull federal funds from the state and suggested revoking the power to provide trucking licenses.

"I plan to withdraw $160 million from California," Duffy stated, following a recent deadly accident in the state involving an non-citizen trucker that led to three deaths and casualties.

The governor's team pointed out that the federal government had renewed the driver's employment on several occasions, which enabled him to obtain a trucking license under federal law.

Duffy had earlier stated he was holding back additional funds from the state for ignoring language proficiency rules for commercial drivers.

Strong Response from the Administration

"One-time television figure, now Secretary of Transportation, still doesn't understand federal law," Newsom's office responded in a previous statement responding to Duffy's threats. "For now, in contrast to this person, we'll stick to the facts: The state's truck drivers had a fatal crash rate significantly lower than the U.S. average. The state of Texas – the only state with more commercial holders – has a rate substantially higher than the state. Facts don't lie. This administration is dishonest."

Polling Data and Future Prospects

A this month's study showed that 72% of Democrats and almost half of voters believed that the governor must consider running for president in 2028. Since Trump took office, public support for the governor has grown to an mean of about one-third from previous levels, while his negative ratings has dropped from an typical level of previous highs to 38.4%.

Earlier this year, Newsom commented while traveling several swing states that he had "no clue" about his plans for the next presidential election.

He mentioned his earlier challenges, including being identified as dyslexic at the age of five.

"The thought that a individual who had modest test scores, who still struggles to read scripts, who was typically not at the front – the fact that this is even suggested is, alone, amazing," he commented. "It's anyone's guess? I'm looking forward to who presents themselves in the next election and who rises to the occasion. And that's the question for the voters."