Derek Merrin
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 42nd district
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 47th district
In office
August 2, 2016 – December 31, 2022
Preceded byBarbara Sears
Succeeded byN/A
Personal details
Born
Derek Scott Merrin

(1986-01-04) January 4, 1986
Smithtown, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity 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 Ohio House of Representatives. He is a Republican. The district includes western Lucas County, south Toledo, Maumee and Springfield Township.

Life and career

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. Russ Merrin passed away in late 2022.[3] 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.[4]

Civic minded at an early age, Merrin was elected to the Waterville City Council at the age of nineteen.[5] Two years later, he was elected Mayor. Along with his time in public office, Merrin previously worked for Ohio Auditor Dave Yost and has a small business flipping houses.[6] In 2012 he was named 'Thirty Conservatives Under Thirty' by Red Alert Politics.[7]

On January 1, 2013, Merrin's longtime girlfriend, Amie Litzinger, passed away from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.[8] She was a student at University of Toledo College of Medicine and was posthumously awarded her M.D.[9]

Mission work

Derek has been involved with mission work and trips around the world, including Argentina, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Morocco and other countries throughout the Caribbean. In addition, he has been longtime member of The Gideons International, distributing Bibles and helping persecuted Christians around the world.

Ohio House of Representatives

With Representative Barbara Sears term-limited in 2016, Merrin entered the race to succeed her.[10] He would go on to win a three-way primary against Republicans Vicki Donovan-Lyle and Kevin Haddad with over 45% of the vote.[11]

Merrin received the opportunity to enter office early when Sears resigned from the seat to take a position in the administration of Ohio Governor John Kasich.[12] 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.[13] He was sworn into office on August 2, 2016[14] and won the ensuing general election over Democrat Lauri Cooper..

Merrin was re-elected in 2018 and 2020, garnering nearly 60% of the vote each time. Following redistricting, Merrin's district was made substantially more Democrat, losing conservative western Lucas County while adding parts of the city of Toledo and inner ring suburbs.[15] Despite this, Merrin carried the Democrat leaning (D+2) 47th House District by nearly eight points, 53.9%-46.1% over Democrat Erika White.[16]

Defending Ohio workers and combatting illegal immigration

In 2023, Merrin co-sponsored HB327 requiring government contractors, private nonresidential contractors, and certain employers to use E-VERIFY to ensure employers hire Ohio residents and workers rather than illegal immigrants.[17]

Supporting skilled-trades

In 2023, Merrin spearheaded legislation that high school counselors be required to receive in-person training at construction trades facilities to become knowledgeable about in demand trade jobs and their benefits.[4]

In 2019, Merrin co-sponsored legislation that would ban abortion in Ohio and criminalize what they called "abortion murder". Doctors who performed abortions in cases of ectopic pregnancy and other life-threatening conditions would be exempt from prosecution only if they "[took] all possible steps to preserve the life of the unborn child, while preserving the life of the woman. Such steps include, if applicable, attempting to reimplant an ectopic pregnancy into the woman's uterus".[18][19][20] Reimplantation of an ectopic pregnancy is not a recognized or medically feasible procedure.[18][21]

In 2022, Merrin lost the Speaker election to Jason Stephens, who had bipartisan support, 54-43 votes.[22]

References

  1. ↑ https://ohiohouse.gov/members/derek-merrin/biography
  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. ↑ Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland com (January 5, 2023). "Ohio Rep. Derek Merrin: Jason Stephens used my father's death to become Ohio House speaker". cleveland. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Derek Merrin Biography". Ohio House of Representatives. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Derek Merrin announces candidacy for OH47". Toledo Tea Party. October 25, 2015. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. ↑ "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.
  8. ↑ "Obituary for Amie Janel Litzinger at Keehn-Griffin Funeral Home". www.keehngriffinfuneralhome.com. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Donor lives up to daughter's ideal". UToledo News. October 29, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  10. ↑ "3 in GOP vying for 3rd District". Toledo Blade. July 10, 2016. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "Merrin nominated to succeed Rep. Sears". Toledo Blade. March 16, 2016. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Ohio Rep. Sears to join Kasich administration". Toledo Blade. June 8, 2016. Archived from the original on July 27, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  14. ↑ "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.
  15. ↑ "Incumbent Merrin, union leader White face off in new Lucas County district". The Blade. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Derek Merrin". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  17. ↑ "HB 327 - 135th General Assembly Regular Session".
  18. 1 2 Glenza, Jessica (November 29, 2019). "Ohio bill orders doctors to 'reimplant ectopic pregnancy' or face 'abortion murder' charges". The Guardian. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  19. ↑ Ohio bill would make doctors 'reimplant' ectopic pregnancies (which is impossible) or face 'abortion murder' charges, National Post, November 29, 2019
  20. ↑ "House Bill 413 | The Ohio Legislature". www.legislature.ohio.gov.
  21. ↑ Rezac, Mary. "Pro-life doctors: Despite Ohio bill, there is no procedure to save ectopic pregnancies". Catholic News Agency.
  22. ↑ "In a surprise move, Ohio House picks Jason Stephens as next speaker". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
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