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Gavin Newsom, a leading Democratic figure, has revealed that he intends to decide on whether to run for president in 2028 following the 2026 congressional elections wrap up.

"Yeah, it would be dishonest if I denied it," Newsom remarked when asked about seriously considering a campaign for president following the 2026 midterms. "That wouldn't be honest. And I can't do that."

Newsom's current term as California's leader wraps up in early 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. However, he noted that any decision is not imminent.

"The future will decide," he remarked.

Rising Profile as a Political Adversary

The California governor has stepped forward as a prominent adversary of the Trump administration, employing his online platforms and pushing a initiative that would boost Democratic House seats in response to GOP gerrymandering. This action has invited attacks from political opponents.

Clash on Transportation

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, claimed that the governor shows no concern about Californians in a Sunday segment on a major news network. Duffy announced plans to pull taxpayer dollars from California and suggested eliminating the authority to issue trucking licenses.

"I plan to withdraw $160 million from California," Duffy declared, in the wake of a recently reported fatal crash in California involving an undocumented commercial driver that caused three deaths and four injuries.

His administration highlighted that the federal government had renewed the driver's employment repeatedly, which enabled him to receive a commercial driver's license under national regulations.

Duffy had earlier indicated he was withholding $40 million from the state for failing to implement language proficiency rules for commercial drivers.

Strong Response from the Team

"Ex-reality TV personality, now transportation chief, still doesn't understand U.S. regulations," his administration responded in a last month's statement addressing the secretary's comments. "In the meantime, in contrast to this person, we'll stick to the facts: The state's commercial driver's license holders had a accident mortality rate much lower than the national average. The state of Texas – the single state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate markedly elevated than the state. Data speaks for itself. The Trump administration does."

Public Opinion and Campaign Considerations

A recent poll revealed that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and 48% of all registered voters believed that the governor must consider running for the White House in 2028. After the current administration began, public support for the governor has increased to an typical level of a third from around 30%, while his negative ratings has fallen from an mean of previous highs to under 40%.

Some time ago, Newsom remarked while traveling several swing states that he had "no idea" about his intentions for the next presidential election.

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

"The thought that a guy who scored 960 on the SAT, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was typically not at the front – that such a possibility is discussed is, by itself, amazing," he commented. "No one can say? I am eager to see who emerges in 2028 and who rises to the occasion. And that remains the key point for the U.S. citizens."