Vivek Ramaswamy/ Zohran Mamdani / File photo
Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy criticized New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's call for residents to conserve electricity during a heat wave, saying more energy production–not conservation–is the solution.
Ramaswamy’s comments were prompted by Mamdani urging New Yorkers to reduce electricity use as high temperatures pushed up demand on the city's power grid.
Also Read: New York votes to freeze rents for some homes in win for Mamdani
In a post on X, the mayor asked residents to set their air conditioners to 78 degrees, turn off unused lights and electronics, and unplug devices that were not in use.
This is what socialism looks like, folks. The right answer isn’t restrictions or mandates. It’s drilling, fracking, coal, & nuclear. That’s how we’ll roll in Ohio.
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 2, 2026
(And he sounds eerily just like Amy Acton during Covid). https://t.co/pJyw0Y3V8e
Mamdani said the city was also maintaining a 78-degree temperature in municipal buildings, dimming non-essential lights, and powering down unnecessary equipment to help stabilize the grid.
"A stable grid means the AC stays on, and lives are saved. Let's ease demand – and get through the heat – together," Mamdani wrote.
Ramaswamy responded by calling the appeal an example of "socialism."
"This is what socialism looks like, folks," he wrote. "The right answer isn't restrictions or mandates. It's drilling, fracking, coal, & nuclear. That's how we'll roll in Ohio."
Ramaswamy has made expanding domestic energy production–including oil and gas drilling, hydraulic fracturing, coal and nuclear power–a central plank of his campaign for Ohio governor.
Mamdani, a Democrat and democratic socialist, has advocated policies focused on energy conservation and climate action, including reducing emissions and promoting cleaner sources of energy.
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