🔗 Share this article

Gavin Newsom, a leading member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he will decide on whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 once the 2026 congressional elections conclude.

"Absolutely, I couldn't be truthful otherwise," the governor remarked when pressed about giving serious thought to a White House bid following the 2026 ballots. "I'd just be lying. And I'm not."

Newsom's current term as governor ends in early 2027, and he cannot run again. Yet, he cautioned that any determination is still years away.

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

Increased Visibility as a Administration Opponent

Newsom has come to the forefront as a notable critic of the Trump administration, using his online platforms and championing a ballot measure that would boost the party's House seats in response to Republican redistricting efforts. This strategy has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Federal Funding Dispute

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom does not care about Californians in a Sunday appearance on Fox News. Duffy disclosed a strategy to pull taxpayer dollars from the state and warned revoking the state's ability to provide commercial driver's licenses.

"I'm about to pull a significant sum from the state," Duffy said, after a recent tragic collision in the state involving an undocumented trucker that led to three deaths and injured individuals.

His administration highlighted that the national authorities had renewed the individual's authorization on several occasions, which permitted him to secure a CDL under national regulations.

The transportation secretary had before announced he was withholding $40 million from the state for failing to implement English language requirements for truck drivers.

Strong Response from the Administration

"Former D-list reality star, now transportation chief, continues to misunderstand U.S. regulations," his administration said in a last month's statement responding to the secretary's comments. "Meanwhile, in contrast to this person, we focus on reality: The state's CDL holders had a fatal crash rate significantly lower than the national average. Texas – the sole state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate almost 50% higher than the state. Facts don't lie. The Trump administration does."

Polling Data and Political Future

A this month's poll found that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and almost half of voters said that Newsom ought to campaign for president in the next election cycle. Since Trump took office, Newsom's favorability has grown to an average of a third from around 30%, while his disapproval has fallen from an average of previous highs to 38.4%.

Earlier this year, Newsom stated while on a trip several swing states that he had "no idea" about his intentions for the next presidential election.

He noted his earlier challenges, 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 typically not at the front – that such a possibility is discussed is, by itself, extraordinary," he stated. "No one can say? I'm looking forward to who presents themselves in the next election and who answers the call. And that is the issue for the U.S. citizens."