Though the Virginia House of Delegates recently voted against appointing gay Richmond prosecutor Tracy Thorne-Begland to a District Court judgeship, the Post reports that lawyers at Richmond’s five largest firms are pushing to have him appointed instead by Circuit Court judges:

“He’s a bright guy, he’s fair-minded; people that deal with the commonwealth’s attorney’s office think he’s a real leader there,” said former Virginia attorney general Richard Cullen, one of five lawyers who sent a letter to circuit judges Tuesday on Thorne-Begland’s behalf. “I think it’s fair to say we want this to be based on the merits. And based on the merits, Tracy will be an outstanding judge. Nobody disagrees with that.”

Under Virginia law, Thorne-Begland could take a judgeship until the next legislative session in 2013.

His nomination was spiked last month by the House of Delegates after conservative groups said he could not be even-handed in his application of the law since he is gay and once questioned the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy while he was serving in the U.S. Navy. Gov. Bob McDonnell and other Republicans have argued that his sexual orientation shouldn’t be of any concern and that he deserves the appointment.