As Northrup Grumman decides where to base its new corporate headquarters, a lawmaker from one state in the running says the company’s corporate culture will fit better in his state because of its positions on protections for gay employees.

Out lawmaker Maryland State Sen. Richard Madaleno Jr. (D) sent a letter to Northrup Grumman advocating the defense giant’s move to his state.

Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland are all vying for the company’s HQ, which will house its 300 top executives.

The Human Rights Campaign has given Northrup its top rating for several years for its protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees.

Sen. Madaleno says the company’s GLBT record is a better match for Maryland, where the attorney general has announced the state will recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Virginia has a state constitution amendment barring gay marriage. Washington, DC, has begun performing gay marriages.

A spokesman for Virginia’s governor said companies can enact the same corporate policies for their employees in Virginia as in other states. Volkswagen and SAIC, which have protections for gay workers, recently relocated to Virginia.