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Gavin Newsom, a prominent Democratic figure, has indicated that he intends to determine whether to run for president in 2028 following the 2026 congressional elections conclude.

"Yeah, I couldn't be truthful otherwise," Newsom stated when questioned about giving serious thought to a campaign for president following the 2026 elections. "That wouldn't be honest. And I'm not."

Newsom's time in office as California's leader concludes in early 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. But, he noted that any determination is still years away.

"It's up to destiny," he said.

Rising Profile as a Political Adversary

Newsom has emerged as a notable adversary of the Trump administration, leveraging his online platforms and advocating for a initiative that would boost Democratic House seats in response to GOP gerrymandering. This action has made him a target from critics.

Federal Funding Dispute

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom is indifferent about the state's residents in a recent interview on Fox News. Duffy announced plans to pull taxpayer dollars from California and warned suspending the power to grant CDLs.

"I plan to withdraw $160m from California," Duffy said, following a recent tragic collision in California involving an unauthorized semi truck driver that led to loss of life and four injuries.

Newsom's office highlighted that the federal government had renewed the driver's employment on several occasions, which enabled him to obtain a trucking license under federal law.

Duffy had previously stated he was blocking $40 million from California for not enforcing English language requirements for truck drivers.

Strong Response from the Team

"Former D-list reality star, now transportation chief, still doesn't understand U.S. regulations," the governor's team said in a recent comment responding to the funding warnings. "For now, in contrast to this person, we rely on data: California commercial driver's license holders had a death rate much lower than the U.S. average. Texas – the sole state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate almost 50% higher than California. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Voter Sentiment and Political Future

A this month's poll found that 72% of Democrats and almost half of voters said that the governor should run for president in 2028. After the current administration began, public support for the governor has increased to an mean of a third from previous levels, while his disapproval has dropped from an mean of more than 40% to current figures.

Some time ago, the governor remarked while traveling several key regions that he had "no idea" about his intentions for 2028.

He also referenced his earlier challenges, including being identified as dyslexic at the early childhood.

"The thought that a person who scored 960 on the SAT, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was often seated at the back – the fact that this is even suggested is, by itself, extraordinary," he commented. "No one can say? I'm looking forward to who emerges in the next election and who meets that moment. And that remains the key point for the U.S. citizens."