🔗 Share this article

Gavin Newsom, a well-known member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he intends to make a decision about whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 after the 2026 midterm elections wrap up.

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

Newsom's tenure as governor wraps up in January 2027, and term limits prevent another run. Yet, he noted that any choice is not imminent.

"Fate will determine that," he added.

Increased Visibility as a Political Adversary

The California governor has emerged as a high-profile critic of the former president's team, leveraging his online platforms and pushing a ballot measure that would expand Democratic House seats in as a counter to Republican redistricting efforts. This move has invited attacks from critics.

Controversy Over Funds

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom does not care about Californians in a Sunday appearance on a major news network. Duffy revealed plans to pull federal funds from the state and threatened eliminating the power to issue trucking licenses.

"I intend to cut $160m from California," he declared, in the wake of a recent tragic collision in the state involving an non-citizen trucker that led to three deaths and injured individuals.

His administration pointed out that the U.S. government had approved the worker's status repeatedly, which enabled him to secure a commercial driver's license under federal law.

The transportation secretary had earlier announced he was blocking $40m from the state for ignoring language proficiency rules for CDL holders.

Pointed Reply from the Administration

"Former D-list reality star, now cabinet member, continues to misunderstand federal law," Newsom's office retorted in a recent comment responding to the secretary's comments. "In the meantime, unlike this clown, we focus on reality: California CDL holders had a fatal crash rate significantly lower than the national average. The state of Texas – the only state with more commercial holders – has a rate almost 50% higher than California. Statistics are clear. The Trump administration does."

Voter Sentiment and Political Future

A recent poll revealed that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and 48% of all registered voters indicated that the governor should run for the White House in the next election cycle. In recent years, his approval ratings has increased to an average of a third from previous levels, while his negative ratings has decreased from an typical level of over 40% to current figures.

Some time ago, the governor commented while on a trip several key regions that he had "no idea" about his future for the next presidential election.

He mentioned his past difficulties, including being diagnosed with dyslexia 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 – the idea that you would even throw that out is, by itself, extraordinary," he commented. "Who the hell knows? I'm looking forward to who emerges in 2028 and who answers the call. And that remains the key point for the U.S. citizens."