Who Is 'Congressman Holden Bloodfeast'? The Meme Satirizing Bloodthirsty Politicians Explained

An American stereotype about old, conservative warmongering politicians has been turned into a meme that people are calling upon to criticize what they think are faulty moves being made by sitting congressmen and senators during the 2023 Hamas-Israel Conflict.

2018 political rising stars to keep an eye on pic.twitter.com/WzcoMy7tiT

— beanytuesday.bsky.social (@beanytuesday) July 16, 2018

Here's a recap of Holden Bloodfeast, and how one webcomic about the lack of appealing political candidates in 2018 was turned into a Wojak-adjacent meme used to mock bloodthirsty politicians.

Where Did 'Holden Bloodfeast' Originate?

In June 2018, Twitter user @beanytuesday shared various doodles satirizing American politicians, among which was one "Holden Bloodfeast." The man was described as a "118-year-old" Republican from Iowa who so desperately wants the U.S. to nuke Iran such that he can see "burning flesh one last time" before he dies. He is also described as a "respectable bipartisan."

How Did The 'Holden Bloodfeast' Meme Gain Traction?

Some early edits of the meme changed some wording around to make it fit for a Chinese audience, while another meme compared the drawing to what is called Senator Facemorph, an edit that combines the faces of all Republican Senators.

Use of the meme grew after various users began using the meme to describe Senator Lindsey Graham after he called for the US to "start bombing Iran."

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For the full history of Holden Bloodfeast, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.