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Gavin Newsom, a prominent member of the Democratic party, has disclosed that he plans to decide on whether to seek the White House in 2028 once the 2026 midterm elections are over.

"Yes, it would be dishonest if I said no," the governor remarked when questioned about contemplating a White House bid following the 2026 elections. "I'd just be lying. And I'm not."

The governor's current term as governor wraps up in early 2027, and term limits prevent another run. However, he noted that any choice is a long way off.

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

Increased Visibility as a Political Adversary

The California governor has emerged as a notable adversary of the Trump administration, leveraging his digital presence and pushing a ballot measure that would expand Democratic congressional seats in as a counter to redistricting by Republicans. This move has made him a target from critics.

Clash on Transportation

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom does not care about Californians in a recent interview on Fox News. The secretary revealed intentions to pull federal funds from California and warned revoking the power to provide commercial driver's licenses.

"I intend to cut $160 million from the state," Duffy said, in the wake of a recently reported deadly accident in California involving an undocumented trucker that caused fatalities and injured individuals.

The governor's team noted that the U.S. government had reauthorized the driver's employment multiple times, which allowed him to secure a trucking license under federal law.

Duffy had previously indicated he was blocking additional funds from California for failing to implement language proficiency rules for truck drivers.

Strong Response from the Team

"Former D-list reality star, now Secretary of Transportation, fails to grasp federal law," his administration retorted in a last month's release addressing Duffy's threats. "For now, as opposed to this individual, we'll stick to the facts: California CDL holders had a death rate much lower than the national average. The state of Texas – the sole state with more commercial holders – has a rate markedly elevated than California. Facts don't lie. The federal leadership misleads."

Public Opinion and Campaign Considerations

A recent poll revealed that 72% of Democrats and a significant portion of the electorate indicated that the governor should run for president in 2028. After the current administration began, Newsom's favorability has grown to an mean of about one-third from around 30%, while his disapproval has dropped from an mean of more than 40% to current figures.

In previous months, the governor remarked while on a trip several swing states that he had "no idea" about his plans for the next presidential election.

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

"The idea that a guy who got 960 on his SAT, who continues to find reading challenging, who was often seated at the back – the idea that you would even throw that out is, in and of itself, remarkable," he said. "No one can say? I await who steps forward in the next election and who meets that moment. And that is the issue for the voters."