| Jake Merrick | |
| State Senate: | Oklahoma |
| District: | 22nd |
| Term Start: | April 14, 2021 |
| Term End: | November 16, 2022 |
| Predecessor: | Stephanie Bice |
| Successor: | Kristen Thompson |
| Party: | Republican |
| Residence: | Yukon, Oklahoma |
| Profession: | Business owner, minister |
| Education: | Dallas Baptist University (B.B.S.) Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Mdiv)[1] |
Jake A. Merrick is an American politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma who served in the Oklahoma Senate representing the 22nd district from 2021 to 2022. A member of the Republican, he won the special election to finish the term of Stephanie Bice. He lost his re-election campaign to a primary challenge from Kristen Thompson.
Before running for office, Merrick worked as a licensed minister, bodybuilder, and personal trainer.[2] He is a former pastor for Living Rivers Millennial Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma and former co-pastor for the Tabernacle of Praise in Edmond, Oklahoma.[3] Merrick worked as a professor of theology and philosophy at Southwestern Christian University. Merrick is also the co-owner of a construction company.[4]
While campaigning for the 2021 Oklahoma State Senate special election, Merrick stopped using Twitter entirely in favor of Facebook and Parler. He was endorsed by his predecessor Stephanie Bice and by the Governor of Oklahoma Kevin Stitt.
Merrick is one of the few "abortion abolitionists", people that seek to abolish access to abortion, elected in the Oklahoma Senate.[5]
On April 14, 2021, Merrick was sworn into the Oklahoma Senate for the remainder of Stephanie Bice's term.[6] [7]
Merrick ran for re-election in 2022. He faced a primary challenge from Edmond business owner Kristen Thompson. Thompson out fundraised Merrick and was endorsed by Governor Kevin Stitt. On June 28, Thompson defeated Merrick in the Republican primary.[8]