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The California governor, a prominent Democratic figure, has disclosed that he will determine whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 following the 2026 congressional elections are over.

"Yeah, I would be lying otherwise," the governor commented when pressed about giving serious thought to a campaign for president after the 2026 elections. "I'd just be lying. And I'm not."

The governor's time in office as governor wraps up in the start of 2027, and term limits prevent another run. Yet, he noted that any choice is not imminent.

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

Rising Profile as a Trump Critic

He has emerged as a notable critic of the current federal leadership, using his digital presence and pushing a proposition that would boost the party's congressional seats in following Republican redistricting efforts. This strategy has made him a target from critics.

Federal Funding Dispute

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, alleged that the governor does not care about Californians in a weekend appearance on a major news network. The secretary announced intentions to withhold government money from California and suggested suspending the state's ability to grant commercial driver's licenses.

"I intend to cut $160m from California," Duffy declared, after a this week's fatal crash in the state involving an unauthorized semi truck driver that led to three deaths and casualties.

Newsom's office pointed out that the U.S. government had renewed the driver's employment multiple times, which enabled him to secure a trucking license under national regulations.

Duffy had previously indicated he was holding back $40m from California for failing to implement linguistic standards for commercial drivers.

Firm Rebuttal from the Team

"One-time television figure, now transportation chief, fails to grasp U.S. regulations," his administration said in a previous release countering the secretary's comments. "In the meantime, as opposed to this individual, we rely on data: California CDL holders had a death rate nearly 40% lower than the U.S. average. 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. This administration is dishonest."

Voter Sentiment and Future Prospects

A recent study showed that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and a significant portion of the electorate believed that the governor ought to campaign for the White House in the next election cycle. In recent years, Newsom's favorability has risen to an mean of about one-third from around 30%, while his disapproval has fallen from an typical level of over 40% to 38.4%.

In previous months, Newsom stated while on a trip several battleground states that he had "uncertainty" about his plans for the next presidential election.

He also referenced his past difficulties, including being found to have a learning disability at the young age of five.

"The notion that a person who had modest test scores, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was always in the back of the classroom – the fact that this is even suggested is, alone, amazing," he stated. "Who the hell knows? I am eager to see who presents themselves in the next election and who answers the call. And that's the question for the American people."