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Gavin Newsom, a well-known Democratic figure, has disclosed that he intends to make a decision about whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 following the 2026 congressional elections conclude.

"Yes, I couldn't be truthful if I denied it," the governor remarked when asked about giving serious thought to a campaign for president post the 2026 elections. "I'd just be lying. And I won't do that."

The governor's current term as governor concludes in January 2027, and he cannot run again. But, he noted that any decision is a long way off.

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

Rising Profile as a Political Adversary

The California governor has stepped forward as a notable critic of the former president's team, leveraging his social media accounts and advocating for a ballot measure that would increase the party's representation in Congress in following redistricting by Republicans. This action has invited attacks from adversaries.

Controversy Over Funds

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, alleged that the governor is indifferent about the state's residents in a weekend interview on a major news network. The secretary announced plans to pull government money from California and warned eliminating the authority to issue commercial driver's licenses.

"I intend to cut $160m from California," he said, in the wake of a recently reported fatal crash in the state involving an undocumented semi truck driver that resulted in fatalities and casualties.

His administration highlighted that the national authorities had reauthorized the worker's status on several occasions, which enabled him to receive a CDL under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had earlier stated he was withholding $40 million from the state for ignoring linguistic standards for truck drivers.

Strong Response from the Administration

"Former D-list reality star, now Secretary of Transportation, still doesn't understand national statutes," the governor's team said in a previous statement responding to the secretary's comments. "For now, unlike this clown, we'll stick to the facts: California CDL holders had a accident mortality rate nearly 40% lower than the countrywide rate. The state of Texas – the sole state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate substantially higher than the state. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Public Opinion and Future Prospects

A recent survey revealed that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and almost half of voters indicated that the governor ought to campaign for the White House in 2028. After the current administration began, his approval ratings has risen to an average of about one-third from approximately 30%, while his negative ratings has fallen from an typical level of over 40% to under 40%.

Earlier this year, the governor stated while traveling several battleground states that he had "no clue" about his future for the next presidential election.

He mentioned his personal struggles, including being identified as dyslexic at the age of five.

"The thought that a guy who had modest test scores, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was always in the back of the classroom – the idea that you would even throw that out is, alone, remarkable," he said. "No one can say? I await who emerges in 2028 and who rises to the occasion. And that is the issue for the U.S. citizens."