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Gavin Newsom, a prominent member of the Democratic party, has indicated that he will make a decision about whether to seek the White House in 2028 once the 2026 midterm elections wrap up.

"Absolutely, it would be dishonest if I denied it," Newsom remarked when asked about seriously considering a White House bid after the 2026 elections. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I can't do that."

Newsom's time in office as governor wraps up in January 2027, and he cannot run again. Yet, he emphasized that any decision is still years away.

"Fate will determine that," he added.

Increased Visibility as a Trump Critic

Newsom has stepped forward as a prominent critic of the current federal leadership, leveraging his digital presence and advocating for a initiative that would increase the party's congressional seats in response to Republican redistricting efforts. This strategy has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Federal Funding Dispute

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, accused that Newsom does not care about the state's residents in a weekend appearance on Fox News. The secretary revealed a strategy to withhold federal funds from the state and warned revoking the power to issue trucking licenses.

"I'm about to pull $160m from the state," Duffy declared, following a recently reported deadly accident in California involving an undocumented trucker that caused three deaths and casualties.

His administration noted that the federal government had approved the worker's status on several occasions, which permitted him to secure a CDL under U.S. law.

Duffy had before announced he was withholding $40m from California for failing to implement English language requirements for CDL holders.

Strong Response from the Governor's Office

"Ex-reality TV personality, now cabinet member, continues to misunderstand federal law," Newsom's office responded in a previous statement countering the funding warnings. "In the meantime, in contrast to this person, we focus on reality: The state's commercial driver's license holders had a death rate much lower than the national average. Texas – the only state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate almost 50% higher than California. Facts don't lie. The Trump administration does."

Public Opinion and Campaign Considerations

A recently conducted poll found that 72% of Democrats and 48% of all registered voters indicated that Newsom should run for the White House in the next election cycle. After the current administration began, public support for the governor has increased to an mean of 33.5% from around 30%, while his unfavorability has fallen from an typical level of more than 40% to under 40%.

Earlier this year, the governor stated while visiting several key regions that he had "uncertainty" about his plans for 2028.

He mentioned his past difficulties, including being found to have a learning disability at the early childhood.

"The thought that a individual who had modest test scores, who continues to find reading challenging, who was always in the back of the classroom – that such a possibility is discussed is, alone, extraordinary," he said. "Who the hell knows? I am eager to see who emerges in the next election and who answers the call. And that remains the key point for the American people."