🔗 Share this article

Gavin Newsom, a well-known Democratic figure, has revealed that he intends to make a decision about whether to run for president in 2028 once the 2026 midterm elections wrap up.

"Yeah, I would be lying if I denied it," Newsom stated when pressed about contemplating a White House bid following the 2026 ballots. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I'm not."

The governor's tenure as governor ends in January 2027, and term limits prevent another run. But, he cautioned that any determination is not imminent.

"Fate will determine that," he remarked.

Rising Profile as a Trump Critic

Newsom has stepped forward as a notable adversary of the current federal leadership, leveraging his online platforms and advocating for a initiative that would boost the party's representation in Congress in response to redistricting by Republicans. This move has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Federal Funding Dispute

Donald Trump's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, accused that Newsom shows no concern about the state's residents in a weekend appearance on a major news network. The secretary revealed plans to pull government money from California and warned suspending the authority to grant CDLs.

"I intend to cut $160 million from California," Duffy said, after a recently reported deadly accident in the state involving an unauthorized semi truck driver that led to fatalities and casualties.

Newsom's office highlighted that the national authorities had approved the driver's employment repeatedly, which permitted him to receive a CDL under national regulations.

The transportation secretary had before indicated he was withholding $40m from the state for failing to implement linguistic standards for truck drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Governor's Office

"One-time television figure, now cabinet member, still doesn't understand U.S. regulations," his administration said in a last month's release responding to Duffy's threats. "In the meantime, in contrast to this person, we focus on reality: California commercial driver's license holders had a fatal crash rate much lower than the national average. Texas – the sole state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate markedly elevated than the state. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Polling Data and Political Future

A recently conducted study revealed that 72% of Democrats and almost half of voters believed that Newsom ought to campaign for the White House in 2028. Since Trump took office, his approval ratings has risen to an mean of about one-third from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has dropped from an mean of more than 40% to current figures.

Some time ago, the governor commented while on a trip several key regions that he had "uncertainty" about his intentions for 2028.

He also referenced his personal struggles, including being found to have a learning disability at the age of five.

"The idea that a person who got 960 on his SAT, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was often seated at the back – the idea that you would even throw that out is, in and of itself, amazing," he stated. "No one can say? I'm looking forward to who emerges in 2028 and who answers the call. And that is the issue for the American people."