Tennessee’s Lt. Governor admits to posting admiring comments on photos of semi-naked man

Tennessee’s Republican lieutenant governor’s office is defending the 79-year-old conservative’s loving and admiring comments on the Instagram page of a 20-year-old musician.

Since 2020, the verified account of Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally has regularly commented on the page of a user who goes by the name Franklyn Superstar on Instagram.

In a video showing Franklyn walking down a ramp in her underwear, McNally wrote, “I love it,” accompanied by heart emojis.

On another occasion, McNally commented under a photo: ‘You seem super happy. You are like the sun. While one featured Franklyn in her underwear, McNally wrote, “Franklyn, you can turn a rainy day into rainbows and sunshine.”

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Franklyn, who identifies as gay, said he had no idea who McNally was when he started commenting on his social media. “I don’t keep up with politics that way,” he said.

Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally is also the president of the Tennessee State Senate and has represented his district in the house since 1978.

McNally’s director of communications, Adam Kleinheider, said nashville fox that the framing of the story was the work of a “left operative” who made the Lieutenant Governor’s messages seem “sinister or inappropriate.”

‘As anyone in Tennessee politics knows, Lieutenant Governor McNally is a prolific commentator on social media. He tries very hard to see as many posts as he can and often posts uplifting things for many of his fans,” Kleinheider’s statement continued.

‘Do you always use the right emoji at the right time? Maybe not. But he enjoys interacting with constituents and Tennesseans of all faiths, backgrounds and orientations on social media. He has no intention of stopping.

In his role as lieutenant governor, McNally is the president of the state senate.

According to the podcast, The Tennessee Scream they are the leftist operatives referred to in the statement from the lieutenant governor’s office.

Franklyn told DailyMail.com that he had exchanged private messages with McNally, but said he was unwilling to reveal the content. He also said that the couple never saw eye to eye.

In at least one post, McNally refers to Franklyn by his nickname, Finn.

Franklyn responded to McNally in several messages. Beneath one where the lieutenant governor posted three love hearts and three fire emojis, Franklyn replied, “You’re literally always so nice.” King.’

In at least one social media post, McNally refers to Franklyn by his nickname Finn.

In February, McNally commented under this image on Facebook. ‘I love this picture but Finn you look’ he said. Hope all is well. If he doesn’t talk to me’

In February, McNally commented under one of Franklyn’s photos on Facebook. ‘I love this picture but Finn you look’ he said. Hope all is well. If he doesn’t talk to me.

Franklyn is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, an area of ​​the state that McNally represents as a state senator for the fifth district, but now lives in South Carolina.

He tells DailyMail.com that he is into music and said he wants to be the ‘male Doja Cat’.

In 2023, Tennessee has been at the forefront of states seeking to advance legislation targeting the LGBTQ community.

Last week, state lawmakers introduced a law that prevents transgender people from changing their driver’s licenses and birth certificates, a move that officials warn could cost the state millions in federal funds.

This week, Gov. Bill Lee approved a bill that would prevent drag queens from performing in any space that is not defined as an “adult cabaret,” such as a strip club.

Franklyn told DailyMail.com that he is an aspiring singer planning to become the ‘male Doja Cat’.

Across the country, activists and conservative politicians complain that drag contributes to the ‘sexualization’ or ‘grooming’ of children. Several states are considering restrictions.

Despite the state’s heavy-handed approach to LGBTQ issues, McNally has been lukewarm on a number of issues, including promoting a ban on transgender athletes competing in college sports, the tennessean reported in 2021.

In 2019, the same newspaper reported that McNally warned Republicans in his state that anti-LGBTQ legislation could affect companies looking to invest in Tennessee.

According to his official profile, McNally, a retired pharmacist, has a wife, Janice, two grown daughters and three grandchildren.

In his role as president of the Senate, despite opposition from his party, McNally conceded President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election shortly after the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill.