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Gavin Newsom, a prominent member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he plans to decide on whether to run for president in 2028 once the 2026 elections wrap up.

"Absolutely, I would be lying otherwise," the governor remarked when pressed about seriously considering a presidential run following the 2026 ballots. "I'd just be lying. And I can't do that."

Newsom's tenure as California's leader ends in January 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. But, he noted that any determination is a long way off.

"Fate will determine that," he said.

Rising Profile as a Political Adversary

The California governor has emerged as a high-profile opponent of the Trump administration, leveraging his online platforms and pushing a initiative that would boost Democratic congressional seats in as a counter to GOP gerrymandering. This move has made him a target from critics.

Clash on Transportation

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, alleged that the governor does not care about the state's residents in a weekend appearance on Fox News. The secretary revealed plans to cut government money from California and suggested revoking the state's ability to issue commercial driver's licenses.

"I'm about to pull $160m from the state," Duffy said, in the wake of a recently reported tragic collision in California involving an undocumented semi truck driver that resulted in loss of life and four injuries.

The governor's team pointed out that the national authorities had reauthorized the driver's employment multiple times, which enabled him to secure a CDL under national regulations.

Duffy had before indicated he was withholding $40m from California for ignoring English language requirements for truck drivers.

Strong Response from the Governor's Office

"Ex-reality TV personality, now transportation chief, still doesn't understand federal law," his administration responded in a previous comment countering the secretary's comments. "In the meantime, as opposed to this individual, we'll stick to the facts: The state's commercial driver's license holders had a fatal crash rate much lower than the countrywide rate. The state of Texas – the only state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate almost 50% higher than the state. Facts don't lie. The Trump administration does."

Public Opinion and Campaign Considerations

A recently conducted poll revealed that a majority of the party and a significant portion of the electorate said that Newsom should run for president in the next election cycle. In recent years, public support for the governor has grown to an average of a third from previous levels, while his negative ratings has fallen from an average of previous highs to current figures.

Some time ago, the governor stated while on a trip several key regions that he had "no idea" about his intentions for 2028.

He mentioned his personal struggles, including being identified as dyslexic at the early childhood.

"The notion that a person 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, by itself, amazing," he stated. "No one can say? I'm looking forward to who emerges in 2028 and who meets that moment. And that remains the key point for the American people."