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Gavin Newsom, a prominent Democratic figure, has indicated that he will make a decision about whether to run for president in 2028 once the 2026 congressional elections wrap up.

"Yeah, it would be dishonest if I denied it," Newsom remarked when questioned about giving serious thought to a White House bid post the 2026 midterms. "That wouldn't be honest. And I won't do that."

The governor's tenure as governor concludes in January 2027, and term limits prevent another run. However, he noted that any determination is a long way off.

"Fate will determine that," he added.

Increased Visibility as a Trump Critic

Newsom has come to the forefront as a prominent adversary of the Trump administration, using his online platforms and pushing a proposition that would increase the party's representation in Congress in response to Republican redistricting efforts. This strategy has made him a target from political opponents.

Federal Funding Dispute

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, accused that Newsom is indifferent about Californians in a Sunday interview on a major news network. The secretary announced intentions to cut government money from California and warned suspending the authority to provide commercial driver's licenses.

"I intend to cut a significant sum from California," Duffy declared, following a recent tragic collision in California involving an unauthorized commercial driver that led to loss of life and casualties.

The governor's team noted that the federal government had approved the driver's employment repeatedly, which permitted him to receive a CDL under federal law.

Duffy had previously indicated he was blocking $40 million from the state for not enforcing English language requirements for CDL holders.

Pointed Reply from the Team

"One-time television figure, now Secretary of Transportation, continues to misunderstand federal law," Newsom's office said in a previous release responding to the funding warnings. "In the meantime, unlike this clown, we rely on data: The state's CDL holders had a accident mortality rate significantly lower than the countrywide rate. The state of Texas – the sole state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate almost 50% higher than the state. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Polling Data and Future Prospects

A recently conducted poll found that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and almost half of voters indicated that Newsom should run for president in 2028. After the current administration began, public support for the governor has increased to an average of about one-third from around 30%, while his unfavorability has decreased from an mean of previous highs to 38.4%.

In previous months, Newsom remarked while on a trip several swing states that he had "uncertainty" about his future for 2028.

He also referenced his personal struggles, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at the early childhood.

"The idea that a individual who scored 960 on the SAT, who continues to find reading challenging, who was always in the back of the classroom – the fact that this is even suggested is, by itself, amazing," he commented. "No one can say? I'm looking forward to who presents themselves in the next election and who meets that moment. And that is the issue for the voters."