Tennessee’s Republican Lt. Gov. Randy McNally has faced criticism and calls for his resignation after repeatedly commenting on racy social media posts by a young gay model and other LGBTQ personalities. On Monday, the Senate GOP caucus voted 19-7 to express confidence in McNally and allow him to continue in his dual roles as lieutenant governor and Senate speaker. While some conservative media outlets and one House Republican lawmaker had called for McNally to step down, none of the Republicans in the Senate have publicly expressed this sentiment.
McNally initially responded to the criticism by saying that he “had no intention of stopping” his social media activity. He later apologized, acknowledging that his comments may have been perceived as inappropriate and that it was not his intention to embarrass his friends, family, or members of the legislature. However, critics accused McNally of being hypocritical, particularly because he had supported legislation restricting certain drag shows.
Despite the controversy, McNally maintains that he is not “anti-gay” and has pointed to his opposition to a 2020 law that allows faith-based foster care and adoption agencies to exclude LGBTQ families based on religious beliefs. However, McNally has also expressed support for “traditional marriage” and for bills that “keep obscenity out of the public sphere.”
While the vote of confidence from the Senate GOP caucus allows McNally to retain his leadership positions, the controversy surrounding his comments highlights ongoing tensions over LGBTQ rights in Tennessee and beyond. Critics argue that McNally’s comments contribute to a culture of homophobia and undermine efforts to promote equality and inclusivity for all individuals.