Lt. Gov. Randy McNally survives confidence vote in Senate after Instagram controversy

Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally prevailed in a Republican caucus confidence vote on Monday, indicating state senators aren't yet willing to publicly break with the Senate speaker over a controversy sparked by McNally's repeated comments on a young man's suggestive Instagram photos.

Republican senators voted 19-7 in favor of McNally's continued leadership, per a statement released by his office.

"I have always been honored, humbled and grateful for the support of my caucus," McNally said. "I remain so today. We have a lot of important work left to do as we complete the legislative session, including the budget. I look forward to getting to it."

Though senators have shied away from publicly commenting on McNally's political fate, some conservative media and at least one House member last week called for McNally to resign the speakership. McNally, who was recently reelected for another term, could continue to serve as a senator if he gave up the speakership.

Some public support had coalesced for Sen. Paul Bailey to succeed McNally, with the Tennessee Conservative and the Tennessee Firearms Association publicly tapping the Sparta Republican to succeed McNally.

McNally publicly apologized and has at least temporarily shut down his Instagram account over his interactions with a young man's risqué photos and other LGBTQ content.

The man, 20-year-old Franklin McClure, confirmed to The Tennessean McNally first befriended him on Facebook when he was 17 but said his online content was, at the time, much more "conservative" compared to recent posts that feature the aspiring entertainer nude or nearly nude.

McNally had not, in McClure's opinion, insinuated anything inappropriate in his private messages, which the Tennessean has not reviewed. McClure did call McNally's support "hypocritical" while the politician backed a number of anti-LGBTQ bills.

Reach Melissa Brown at mabrown@tennessean.com.