It appears a bill coming out of the California legislature giving cash to illegal immigrants for down payments on houses was too extreme for even leftist Gov. Gavin Newsom. On Friday, the man known to some as "Gov. Hair Gel" vetoed Assembly Bill 1840, the "California Dream for All" loan program, which would have allowed "undocumented" immigrants to apply for loans of up to 20 percent of a home's value or up to $150,000 for help with the down payment.

The question is, is the governor making a move toward the center after his shadow presidential campaign failed and Team Kamala outmaneuvered him? Is he making plans to run in ’28 should Harris lose in November?

Whatever his reasoning, Newsom refused to sign the measure. One reason he didn’t sign it is that, as governor, he took a budget surplus and turned it into a massive deficit with his profligate spending. There’s simply no money for this proposal:

“Expanding program eligibility must be carefully considered within the broader context of the annual state budget to ensure we manage our resources effectively,” the governor wrote.

The Democrat's legislation to give illegal immigrants access to taxpayer-funded down payments for homes (up to $150,000!) has been vetoed. Why? Because the media, the public, and @AsmRepublicans exposed this crazy idea. Thank you to everyone who weighed in! pic.twitter.com/LQklihEoYW

— James Gallagher (@J_GallagherAD3) September 6, 2024

The bill received national attention from the likes of Elon Musk and Donald Trump and some in the media because—even by California standards—it was a lunatic proposal.

Most of Earth should move to California!

Illegals get free medical care in California as of January and now get “payback optional” $150k loans, funded by California taxpayers, among many other benefits. https://t.co/uwthE2bzY2

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 2, 2024

It was a rare victory for Republicans in the Golden State:

Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle, who represents a rural Northern California district and ran against Newsom in the 2022 gubernatorial race, said in an interview that the governor did the right thing. But, Dahle said, he believes Newsom was in fact “reading the tea leaves” on the political implications of the bill.

“He’s the master of gaslighting,” Dahle said. “I mean, they’ve been doing it forever. I’ve been here 12 years, and all they do is politics.”

More Gavin:

Is This Curtains for Gavin Newsom? CA Senate Pro Tem Refuses to Convene Special Session Called By Guv

The Forgotten Man VIP

California to Provide Subsidies of Up to $150K for Home Buyers - but Only If They're Illegal Immigrants

GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump savaged the plan Thursday, saying during a policy speech to the Economic Club of New York in Manhattan that he would outright ban mortgages for illegal aliens:

Donald Trump: "My plan will ban mortgages for illegal aliens. In California, they're passing a law where they're going to give illegal aliens money to buy a house. But our soldiers, our veterans that are laying on the streets, they can't have them." pic.twitter.com/RHRN7EEWWc

— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) September 5, 2024

Some opine that this is Newsom’s way of taking the issue off the table prior to the September 10 presidential debate.

Whatever his reasoning, it’s a rare good decision by Newsom. It’s unlikely that he’s had a sudden change of heart, however; as anyone who has lived here and watched him oversee the stunning decline of California can attest, good decisions are not his forte. We can fully expect more progressive madness out of him in the future.