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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 is the Republican nominee for Ohio's 9th congressional district in 2024.
Derek Merrin | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Ohio House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Young |
| Constituency | 42nd district |
| In office August 2, 2016 – December 31, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Barbara Sears |
| Succeeded by | Sara Carruthers |
| Constituency | 47th district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Derek Scott Merrin January 4, 1986 Smithtown, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | University of Toledo (BA) Bowling Green State University (MPA) |
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]
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]
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