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

"Yeah, I couldn't be truthful otherwise," Newsom commented when asked about seriously considering a presidential run after the 2026 midterms. "I'd just be lying. And I'm not."

Newsom's time in office as governor wraps up in January 2027, and term limits prevent another run. Yet, he noted that any choice is a long way off.

"Fate will determine that," he added.

Increased Visibility as a Political Adversary

Newsom has come to the forefront as a high-profile critic of the current federal leadership, leveraging his online platforms and pushing a proposition that would increase Democratic House seats in response to Republican redistricting efforts. This move has made him a target from political opponents.

Controversy Over Funds

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, accused that the governor does not care about the state's residents in a recent interview on a major news network. The secretary disclosed a strategy to pull government money from California and warned eliminating the state's ability to provide CDLs.

"I intend to cut a significant sum from California," he stated, in the wake of a recently reported fatal crash in California involving an non-citizen commercial driver that resulted in loss of life and four injuries.

The governor's team highlighted that the federal government had approved the worker's status on several occasions, which allowed him to obtain a commercial driver's license under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had before indicated he was holding back $40 million from the state for ignoring language proficiency rules for truck drivers.

Firm Rebuttal from the Administration

"One-time television figure, now transportation chief, continues to misunderstand national statutes," the governor's team responded in a recent statement addressing Duffy's threats. "For now, unlike this clown, we focus on reality: California truck drivers had a fatal crash rate much lower than the U.S. average. Texas – the sole state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate substantially higher than the state. Facts don't lie. The Trump administration does."

Public Opinion and Political Future

A this month's poll revealed that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and 48% of all registered voters indicated that the governor should run for president in 2028. In recent years, Newsom's favorability has increased to an typical level of 33.5% from previous levels, while his unfavorability has dropped from an average of previous highs to current figures.

Some time ago, Newsom stated while on a trip several swing states that he had "uncertainty" about his future for 2028.

He mentioned his earlier challenges, including being identified as dyslexic at the young age of five.

"The idea that a person who had modest test scores, who still struggles to read scripts, who was always in the back of the classroom – the idea that you would even throw that out is, in and of itself, remarkable," he stated. "Who the hell knows? I await who emerges in 2028 and who meets that moment. And that is the issue for the American people."