🔗 Share this article

Gavin Newsom, a leading member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he will decide on whether to seek the White House in 2028 following the 2026 midterm elections are over.

"Yes, I would be lying otherwise," the governor commented when asked about contemplating a presidential run after the 2026 midterms. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I'm not."

Newsom's current term as governor concludes in the start of 2027, and he cannot run again. But, he emphasized that any determination is still years away.

"The future will decide," he said.

Rising Profile as a Political Adversary

The California governor has come to the forefront as a high-profile critic of the current federal leadership, employing his social media accounts and championing a proposition that would increase Democratic representation in Congress in response to Republican redistricting efforts. This move has made him a target from critics.

Federal Funding Dispute

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, alleged that the governor is indifferent about Californians in a weekend segment on Fox News. Duffy disclosed intentions to withhold federal funds from the state and threatened suspending the power to issue CDLs.

"I plan to withdraw $160 million from the state," he said, in the wake of a this week's fatal crash in California involving an undocumented commercial driver that caused three deaths and injured individuals.

His administration highlighted that the U.S. government had renewed the individual's authorization repeatedly, which allowed him to secure a trucking license under U.S. law.

Duffy had before announced he was blocking $40m from the state for not enforcing linguistic standards for commercial drivers.

Strong Response from the Administration

"One-time television figure, now transportation chief, still doesn't understand U.S. regulations," the governor's team said in a recent statement countering the funding warnings. "In the meantime, as opposed to this individual, we focus on reality: California CDL holders had a death rate much lower than the countrywide rate. Texas – the single state with more commercial holders – has a rate substantially higher than the state. Data speaks for itself. 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 believed that Newsom must consider running for the White House in the next election cycle. After the current administration began, Newsom's favorability has risen to an average of 33.5% from around 30%, while his unfavorability has fallen from an typical level of over 40% to current figures.

In previous months, Newsom stated while on a trip several swing states that he had "no clue" about his intentions for 2028.

He noted his personal struggles, including being found to have a learning disability at the young age of five.

"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 idea that you would even throw that out is, in and of itself, remarkable," he said. "Who the hell knows? I am eager to see who emerges in 2028 and who answers the call. And that is the issue for the voters."