As the conservative Tennessee legislature ushers in a series of bills that LGBTQ advocates have decried as discriminatory, one of the state’s top Republicans — the lieutenant governor — has been leaving encouraging comments on suggestive Instagram photos posted by a gay 20-year-old man.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally’s office stood behind the social media interactions, arguing he is a “prolific social media commenter.” 

Meanwhile, Franklin McClure, the young man whose posts and, allegedly, direct messages McNally has frequented, said he felt McNally was hypocritical for showing support to him personally on social media while backing the legislation.

McClure told The Tennessean, part of The USA TODAY Network, he did not know McNally when the politician sent him a friend request a couple of years ago. McClure is currently 20, and his Instagram posts have become more mature over the last year.

Some of McClure’s posts feature him nude or nearly nude. In January, McClure, shirtless and in boxer briefs, posted a low-angled selfie from behind. 

“Finn, you can turn a rainy day into rainbows and sunshine,” McNally commented from his verified Instagram account, @ltgovmcnally, after sending heart and fire emojis.

Adam Kleinheider, a spokesperson for McNally, said in a statement Wednesday that McNally “takes great pains to view every post he can and frequently posts encouraging things to many of his followers.”

“Trying to imply something sinister or inappropriate about a great-grandfather’s use of social media says more about the mind of the left-wing operative making the implication than it does about Randy McNally,” Kleinheider said.

McNally fielded some questions on Thursday as an an unusually large security contingent escorted him down the hallway from the Senate chamber to the House chamber for a joint session, where lawmakers planned to confirm judicial appointments.