Last week, Rhea County Department of Tourism Director Alex Fine resigned following public backlash over the official tourism social media account interacting with a viral political parody video.

The controversy began when a TikTok video created by resident Erin Wright featured her husband, Justin Wright, impersonating former county executive candidate Adam McRorie and announcing the election outcome involving Ron Travis. The official Rhea County Department of Tourism TikTok account reposted the clip accompanied by laughing emojis, prompting immediate criticism from local residents who argued that a municipal entity should maintain political neutrality and professional standards.

In response to the community’s concerns, the department issued a statement on Facebook clarifying that the interaction was not intended to belittle or target anyone. Fine subsequently confirmed her resignation in an email, reiterating that the post was not meant as bullying and expressing respect for all candidates.

The Rhea County Government released an apology regarding the incident, emphasizing that the actions of the Tourism Department’s social media page did not align with the professionalism and standards expected of representatives of the county.