Set Your AC to 78 Degrees, Zohran Mamdani Told New Yorkers
A brutal heat wave was bearing down on New York over the holiday weekend, with temperatures forecast to feel like 112 degrees. As residents cranked their air conditioners and the power grid strained under the load, the mayor stepped in with a plea for restraint.
His answer for the city was 78, plus a request to unplug what you can and dim the lights.
Mamdani told New Yorkers to bump their air conditioners up to 78 as the city braced for that punishing weekend forecast, and the advice landed as an insult to a lot of people sweating through it.
He posted the guidance on X on Thursday, saying the power grid was working overtime and that easing demand would keep the AC on and save lives. He added that city buildings would hold to the same 78 rule and power down non-essential equipment.
Critics went straight to socialism. “Show us your thermostat, commie,” wrote Spencer Pratt. Rep. Brandon Gill called it a government demand to “turn your house into a sauna,” and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders wrote, “Turns out socialism actually isn’t free.” Matt Walsh said his own AC never goes above 68: “This is America for God’s sake.”
The pushback comes as Mamdani’s clout is climbing. His slate of endorsed candidates swept last week’s primaries, and Kamala Harris called him afterward, a nod to how much his base could matter in the 2028 nominating fight.
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