RICHMOND, Va. — A federal appeals court denied Fredericksburg-area voters’ request to block Republican Bob Thomas from being seated in the Virginia House of Delegates, just hours before the General Assembly session began.

A Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals panel in Richmond denied the motion seeking to keep Thomas from being seated due to dozens of people who voted in the wrong races in the Fredericksburg area. Thomas beat Democrat Joshua Cole by 73 votes.

The decision cleared the way for Republicans to elect Del. Kirk Cox of Colonial Heights as House Speaker.

In a separate race, Democrat Shelly Simonds has not announced any new challenges in the tied race out of Newport News that GOP Del. David Yancey won in a random drawing last week.