'Sorry Not Sorry': RI Sen. Tiara Mack Holds Ground After TikTok Twerk

PROVIDENCE, RI — Can I live? That's the question, more or less, that Rhode Island Sen. Tiara Mack is asking after a series of bikini-clad TikToks picked up steam on political social media circles over the July 4 weekend.

A chunk of the views came from the account Libs of TikTok, the conservative account which shares social media content from liberal and left-wing posters and politicians, hoping — and often succeeding — in gaining the types of "gotcha" style clicks prominent on hyper-political internet spaces.

The account shared a video filmed by Mack on July 4, which features the District 6 senator twerking in center frame. She ends the video with a "vote Senator Mack" for good measure.

Views trickled in, but have remained lower than 50,000 on the LibsofTikTok Twitter account, and around 80,000 on Mack's personal TikTok.

The video was nonetheless picked up by Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Carlson used the moment to poke fun at the Democratic party, but non-Conservatives also responded to the video.

"I'm not a conservative and I'm disappointed. Where do we draw the line on the behavior of public figures? I like when WE have a standard of decorum that we want OUR people to rise to. To be UNCOMMON to be admired! This ain't it," one commenter said.

Mack has faced a level of backlash centered around what pundits, politicians and run-of-the-mill Twitter users alike deemed as unprofessional behavior. Fellow state Sen. Jonathon Acosta did provide a dissenting opinion on that narrative, however.

"It’s public that I’m out here casually drinking, smoking weed, and spending as much time shirtless as the summer sun will allow and it’s not an issue because I have a penis," he said.

Mack has responded to the narratives on both TikTok and Twitter.

In a Twitter thread, Mack asked why she's garnering more attention for the video than she is for her accomplishments in the state senate.

"Can the media cover any policy wins had by the youngest Black state senator in Rhode Island?" she asked. "As a Black, queer woman you all should know the answer. It’s no. Let’s them carry on their narrative. Me? I’m going to be joyful, free, and unbothered."

"Sorry not sorry," she added.