Recently, Tomi Lahren made a comment urging Democratic voters to stay away from what she called “great red cities and states.” Yahoo+2X (formerly Twitter)+2 The remark quickly turned into fodder for internet mockery, with social-media users latching onto one obvious joke: “What are the ‘great red cities’ exactly?”
What She Said & Why It Sparked the Joke
Lahren’s message was essentially a caution: that Democrats should avoid relocating to (or perhaps influencing) “red” jurisdictions—places she described as reliably Republican. The wording—“great red cities and states”—caught attention because when most people think of “red” vs “blue,” the “red” side tends to be rural or smaller towns rather than major cities traditionally assumed to lean blue.
Because of that disconnect, the internet immediately reacted with one shared thought: “Which cities are you talking about?” Many pointed out it was odd to call them “great red cities” when big urban centers are more often blue. Posts popped up asking sarcastically, “Are we sure the cities exist?” or “Could you name them?” Facebook+1
Why the Joke Took Off
- It’s self-contradictory. The idea of a “great red city” is unusual enough to raise eyebrows—most red-leaning areas are smaller or suburban. That incongruity made the phrase a ready target.
- Easy to meme. The phrasing was generic enough (“great red cities and states”) that people could plug in their own jokes—“Great Red Cities like… uh… ? ”
- Timing & context. Political commentary is always fertile ground for memes, and this one rolled out at a moment when election results and demographic shifts were in discussion. Yahoo News+1
What This Says Politically
On a deeper level, Lahren’s comment reflects a broader concern among some conservatives: the idea that demographic or migration shifts from blue to red jurisdictions could destabilize traditional party majorities. By telling Democrats to steer clear of “red” areas, she’s promoting a sort of political border-maintenance strategy.
But the backlash and jokes suggest a different reading: many people see the “red cities” phrase as a sign of disconnect—either from the actual geography of voting patterns or from how urbanization and demographics are evolving. In short: if the “great red cities” are so great and red, where exactly are they?
The Takeaway
At its core, this isn’t just a meme-moment—it’s a mirror. The internet’s joke isn’t just mocking Lahren—it’s highlighting how political language can miss its mark when it relies on outdated maps, assumptions about geography, and labels that don’t match lived reality.
So next time someone warns you about moving to a “great red city,” you might ask: “Which one? And how red is it, really?” Meanwhile, expect more memes, because once the internet smells a funny phrasing, it doesn’t let go.
