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Derek Merrin

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Derek Merrin
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byTom Young
Constituency42nd district
In office
August 2, 2016 – December 31, 2022
Preceded byBarbara Sears
Succeeded bySara Carruthers
Constituency47th district
Personal details
Born
Derek Scott Merrin

(1986-01-04) January 4, 1986 (age 38)
Smithtown, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity of Toledo (BA)
Bowling Green State University (MPA)

Derek Scott Merrin[1] (born January 4, 1986) is an American politician serving as the state representative for the 42nd District of the Ohio House of Representatives. He is a Republican. The district includes western Lucas County, south Toledo, Maumee, and Springfield Township. He was the Republican nominee for Ohio's 9th congressional district in 2024, where he was defeated by incumbent Marcy Kaptur.

Life and career

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Merrin was born in Smithtown, New York on Long Island, and moved to Waterville, Ohio, with his family when he was thirteen years old.[2] His father, Russ Merrin, was a public-school teacher and pastored Monclova Road Baptist Church for twenty-three years. Merrin's mother, Norma, was a registered nurse. Merrin is a graduate of Monclova Christian Academy. In addition, Merrin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toledo and a Master of Public Administration degree from Bowling Green State University. He attended Owens Community College before transferring to UT.[3]

Merrin was elected to the Waterville City Council, a city of just over 6000 people, at the age of nineteen.[4] Two years later, he was elected Mayor. Along with his time in public office, Merrin previously worked for Ohio Auditor Dave Yost.[5] In 2012 he was named 'Thirty Conservatives Under Thirty' by Red Alert Politics.[6]

Ohio House of Representatives

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With Representative Barbara Sears term-limited in 2016, Merrin entered the race to succeed her.[7] He won a three-way primary against Republicans Vicki Donovan-Lyle and Kevin Haddad, with over 45% of the vote.[8]

Sears resigned from the seat before the end of her term to take a position in the administration of Ohio Governor John Kasich.[9] As the winner of the Republican primary, Ohio House Republicans led by Speaker of the House Cliff Rosenberger appointed Merrin to serve the remainder of Sears' term.[10] He was sworn into office on August 2, 2016,[11] and won the ensuing general election over Democrat Lauri Cooper. Merrin was re-elected in 2018 and 2020, with nearly 60% of the vote each time. Following re-districting, Merrin's district was made substantially more Democratic, losing conservative western Lucas County while adding parts of the city of Toledo and inner ring suburbs.[12] Despite this, Merrin carried the Democrat-leaning (D+2) 47th House District by nearly eight points, 53.9%-46.1% over Democrat Erika White.[13]

In 2022, Merrin lost the Speaker election to Jason Stephens, who had bipartisan support, by 54 to 43 votes.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Derek Merrin Biography". Ohio House of Representatives.
  2. ^ "3 running for Sears' seat in Ohio House". Toledo Blade. November 3, 2016. Archived from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  3. ^ "Derek Merrin Biography". Ohio House of Representatives. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  4. ^ "Derek Merrin announces candidacy for OH47". Toledo Tea Party. October 25, 2015. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  5. ^ "Ohio House Speaker meets with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump". Twinsburg Bulletin. August 3, 2016. Archived from the original on August 4, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  6. ^ "Gavarone, Merrin to be sworn in as Ohio representatives". Toledo Blade. July 4, 2016. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  7. ^ "3 in GOP vying for 3rd District". Toledo Blade. July 10, 2016. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  8. ^ "3 seek GOP nod in Ohio's 47th House district". Toledo Blade. February 10, 2016. Archived from the original on October 17, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  9. ^ "Merrin nominated to succeed Rep. Sears". Toledo Blade. March 16, 2016. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  10. ^ "Ohio Rep. Sears to join Kasich administration". Toledo Blade. June 8, 2016. Archived from the original on July 27, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  11. ^ "Derek Merrin's Voting Records - the Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart". Archived from the original on December 11, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  12. ^ "Incumbent Merrin, union leader White face off in new Lucas County district". The Blade. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  13. ^ "Derek Merrin". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  14. ^ "In a surprise move, Ohio House picks Jason Stephens as next speaker". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
[edit]
Ohio House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 47th district
2016–2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 42nd district
2023–present 		Incumbent
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