Tennessee Home Speaker Cameron Sexton and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally communicate forward of Gov. Invoice Lee’s State of the State Handle. Monday, Feb. 06, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn.

Blaise Gainey/WPLN

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Blaise Gainey/WPLN

Tennessee Home Speaker Cameron Sexton and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally communicate forward of Gov. Invoice Lee’s State of the State Handle. Monday, Feb. 06, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn.

Blaise Gainey/WPLN

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Republican Lt. Gov. Randy McNally has confirmed that for “a short while” he has been liking and leaving feedback on social media images of an brazenly homosexual Tennessee man who usually poses practically bare.

McNally, who can also be a member of the state Senate and serves as its head, has left quite a few feedback on Franklyn McClur’s Instagram images with phrases resembling “adore it!” and coronary heart and flame emojis. One remark reads, “Finn, you may flip a wet day into rainbows and sunshine.”

In an interview Thursday evening with Information Channel 5 in Nashville, McNally apologized saying, “I am actually, actually sorry if I’ve embarrassed my household, embarrassed my pals, embarrassed any of the members of the legislature with the posts.”

Serving within the legislature since 1978, McNally is being referred to as out after years of supporting payments that limit the rights of LGBTQ folks within the state.

Thursday, the 79-year-old was questioned by reporters on the state Capitol for his social media exercise. He confirmed his actions and defended them saying “I am not anti-gay.”

McNally has spoken out towards homosexual marriage up to now and mentioned Thursday that he nonetheless “type of” feels that manner, “However I nonetheless have [gay] pals which are married.” He additionally pointed on the market was a time he spoke towards laws that may have prevented homosexual {couples} from adopting.

In response to McNally’s feedback, McClur spoke with the web site the Tennessee Holler and mentioned he discovered it hypocritical that the lieutenant governor would really like his posts however help payments that hurt the LGBTQ neighborhood.

Some have discovered his apology on Information Channel 5 complicated after McNally confirmed and stood by his posts Thursday in entrance of the press. Additionally, in an announcement, his press secretary mentioned the lieutenant governor “enjoys interacting with constituents and Tennesseans of all religions, backgrounds and orientations on social media. He has no intention of stopping.”

McNally’s voting report

This yr, the lieutenant governor was recovering from a coronary heart process when the state Senate voted to cross payments eliminating gender-affirming care for transgender folks beneath 18 and banning drag performances in public locations the place youngsters may even see them. (That regulation is the primary of its form within the nation and comes with the potential for jail time.)

Although in his absence he did not vote for the payments, McNally has mentioned he believes “sexual reassignment” surgical procedure needs to be delayed till maturity, even when dad and mom give the OK.

Two years in a row, McNally voted to restrict sports activities participation on the premise of intercourse assigned at beginning. He voted for one more invoice that permits people to refuse to share loos and locker rooms with transgender folks.

Despite the fact that he’s the lieutenant governor, McNally could also be a comparatively unknown title, even in Tennessee. As an alternative of being elected by voters, he is elected by the legislature to the lieutenant governor submit. Nonetheless, if Gov. Invoice Lee have been unable to serve his in his submit for any purpose, McNally would assume the workplace of governor.

Acacia Squires, NPR’s States Staff editor, contributed to this story.