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The California governor, a well-known Democratic figure, has revealed that he plans to determine whether to seek the White House in 2028 once the 2026 elections are over.

"Yes, I would be lying if I said no," Newsom stated when asked about giving serious thought to a presidential run following the 2026 ballots. "I'd just be lying. And I won't do that."

Newsom's current term as governor concludes in the start of 2027, and term limits prevent another run. Yet, he emphasized that any choice is a long way off.

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

Increased Visibility as a Administration Opponent

The California governor has come to the forefront as a high-profile adversary of the current federal leadership, employing his online platforms and pushing a ballot measure that would boost Democratic representation in Congress in following Republican redistricting efforts. This action has made him a target from adversaries.

Federal Funding Dispute

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, alleged that Newsom is indifferent about Californians in a recent segment on Fox News. The secretary announced plans to cut taxpayer dollars from the state and suggested revoking the power to provide trucking licenses.

"I plan to withdraw $160m from the state," he stated, following a this week's tragic collision in California involving an unauthorized semi truck driver that led to fatalities and injured individuals.

His administration pointed out that the national authorities had approved the worker's status on several occasions, which permitted him to obtain a commercial driver's license under federal law.

Duffy had previously stated he was blocking additional funds from the state for not enforcing language proficiency rules for commercial drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Team

"One-time television figure, now transportation chief, continues to misunderstand U.S. regulations," the governor's team responded in a previous release addressing the secretary's comments. "Meanwhile, as opposed to this individual, we rely on data: The state's truck drivers had a accident mortality rate much lower than the national average. Texas – the only state with more commercial holders – has a rate substantially higher than California. Statistics are clear. This administration is dishonest."

Voter Sentiment and Future Prospects

A recently conducted study revealed that a majority of the party and 48% of all registered voters said that the governor should run for president in the next election cycle. In recent years, his approval ratings has grown to an average of a third from previous levels, while his disapproval has decreased from an mean of over 40% to under 40%.

Some time ago, the governor stated while visiting several battleground states that he had "no idea" about his intentions for the next presidential election.

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

"The notion that a individual who got 960 on his SAT, who still struggles to read scripts, who was always in the back of the classroom – the idea that you would even throw that out is, alone, extraordinary," he said. "Who the hell knows? I await who steps forward in the next election and who meets that moment. And that's the question for the voters."