Derek Merrin

Derek Merrin lives in Monclova Township in Lucas County, Ohio. He attended Monclova Christian Academy and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toledo and a Master of Public Administration from Bowling Green State University. According to his campaign, he was elected to the Waterville City Council at age 19, served as mayor of Waterville from 2008 to 2011, and then served eight years as a state representative from Lucas County in the Ohio House, where he chaired the Health Committee and later the Ways and Means Committee. His campaign also describes him as a real estate investor. Merrin was the Republican nominee for Ohio's 9th Congressional District in 2024 and lost to Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur. In the May 5, 2026 Republican primary he won with about 43 percent of the vote at the Associated Press call, ahead of state Rep. Josh Williams, Madison Sheahan, Alea Nadeem and Anthony Campbell. He faces Kaptur, who had no primary opponent, on November 3, 2026.