So Newsom is leaving in 2027 and cannot run again, right? I just checked, and the situation is clear: when California's governor's term ends in early January 2027, an important chapter closes. The guy was re-elected in 2022 and started his second term in January 2023, but the state Constitution imposes a limit: a maximum of two terms, and that's it.

Proposition 140, approved in 1990, was quite straightforward about this. No governor can serve more than two terms, even if they are not consecutive. So even if Newsom wanted to, he can't run in November 2026. His second term ends on Monday, January 4, 2027, when the new governor elected in the 2026 elections takes office.

Speaking of those elections, they are just around the corner. The primaries are on June 2, and the general election is on November 3. The governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, controller, treasurer, attorney general, insurance commissioner, federal senators, federal representatives, and state legislators are up for election.

Several names are circulating for the governor's race. Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, leads among Republicans with an aggressive immigration agenda. Then there's Eric Swalwell, a federal representative who talks about lowering prices and stopping Trump’s policies from the state. Steve Hilton, this British-American businessman, promises to solve the housing and security crisis. Katie Porter, a former Orange County representative, emphasizes housing, inflation, and health.

A recent Emerson College poll showed Bianco at 13%, followed by Hilton and Swalwell both at 12%, and Porter at 11%. Still quite close. Also in the race are Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose, who recently launched his candidacy on X, along with Antonio Villaraigosa and Tony Thurmond.

As for Newsom after January 2027, no one knows for sure. But last October, he admitted in an interview with CBS that he would consider a presidential run when Trump finishes his second term in 2028. He said yes, he would seriously consider it. Although he has not officially confirmed any concrete plans for his future. Analysts speculate he might run for president with Democratic support, but for now, it remains speculation.