| Derek Merrin | |
| State House1: | Ohio |
| District1: | 42nd |
| Term Start1: | January 3, 2023 |
| Predecessor1: | Tom Young |
| State House2: | Ohio |
| District2: | 47th |
| Term Start2: | August 2, 2016 |
| Term End2: | December 31, 2022 |
| Predecessor2: | Barbara Sears |
| Successor2: | Sara Carruthers |
| Birth Name: | Derek Scott Merrin |
| Birth Date: | 4 January 1986 |
| Birth Place: | Smithtown, New York, U.S. |
| Party: | Republican |
| Education: | University of Toledo (BA) Bowling Green State University (MA) |
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.
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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