Derek Merrin (OH-09) Research Report
Significant Findings
Summary from the report. Click a headline to see its findings.
Derek Merrin Benefited From Over $23,000 In FirstEnergy Linked Campaign Funds And Voted For The FirstEnergy Bailout, Even Allowing Them To Keep Raising Rates Afterwards
3 findings
- FirstEnergy-linked groups spent over $23,000 in campaign contributions to Merrin and expenditures supprting his reelection.
- Merrin was repeatedly called out for being backed by perpetrators of the FirstEnergy scandal.
- Merrin voted for a bill which retained surcharges to help for the creation of two FirsteEnergy-owned coal plants.
Derek Merrin Proposed Legislation To Void Local Lead Safety Laws To Benefit His Bottom Line As A Landlord
3 findings
- Merrin was a landlord who owned multiple rental properties in Toledo.
- Merrin had been previously called out for not certifying his properties as lead-safe.
- Merrin proposed legislation voiding Toledo’s laws protecting tenants, including children, from lead poisoning, saying he did not like that Toledo’s ordinance required testing at rental properties, including ones like his own.
Derek Merrin Supported The One Big Beautiful Bill Which Was Projected To Cut Health Insurance For Nearly 32,000 People In Ohio’s 9th Congressional District And Slash More Than $75 Million In Revenue For Ohio Hospitals
5 findings
- Merrin supported the One Big Beautiful Bill.
- Joint Economic Committee Minority: Almost 32,000 people in Ohio’s 9th congressional district were projected to lose health insurance under the One Big Beautiful Bill.
- The One Big Beautiful Bill made “unprecedented” cuts to the social safety net, slashing Ohio Medicaid funds by $33 billion over the coming decade and throwing 340,000 Ohioans off their health insurance.
- Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill were projected to cut more than $75 million in revenue to hospitals in OH-09, making patient care worse.
- Nursing home administrators warned that Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill could shutter facilities in the Toledo area.
Derek Merrin Supported The One Big Beautiful Bill Which Failed To Extend Affordable Care Act Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Driving Up Health Care Costs For Nearly 40,000 Individuals In OH-09 On Marketplace Plans
4 findings
- Merrin supported the Big Beautiful Bill.
- 2025: Almost 40,000 individuals in OH-09 were enrolled in ACA marketplace plans.
- January 2026: Affordable Care Act advanced premium tax credits expired after the One Big Beautiful Bill failed to extend them.
- Failure to extend ACA advanced premium tax credits was expected to drastically increase premium payments for OH-09 residents, with a 60-year old couple making $85,000 projected to pay almost $1,600 more monthly.
Derek Merrin Supported The One Big Beautiful Bill Which Made Massive Cuts To SNAP, Putting Almost 45,000 Households In OH-09 At Risk Of Losing Food Assistance
5 findings
- Merrin supported the Big Beautiful Bill.
- Almost 45,000 households in OH-09, more than 62% of which included children, received SNAP benefits and were at risk of losing federal food assistance under the One Big Beautiful Bill.
- Urban Institute estimated 717,000 Ohio families would lose some or all of their SNAP benefits.
- Ohio Association of Foodbanks Executive Director: The One Big Beautiful Bill would fundamentally change “the basic food assistance that we’ve promised to all of our citizens.”
- Center for American Progress: The Senate’s version of the One Big Beautiful Bill would enact the largest cut to SNAP in the program’s history.
Derek Merrin Supported The One Big Beautiful Bill Which Was Expected To Raise Ohioans’ Energy And Gas Costs By $410 Per Year In 2035 As Reductions In Planned Clean Energy Projects Decreased Available Energy Supply
4 findings
- Merrin supported the One Big Beautiful Bill.
- The One Big Beautiful Bill was projected to raise household energy costs in Ohio by $410 per year in 2035 as reductions in planned clean energy projects decreased available energy supply.
- The One Big Beautiful Bill was projected to raise gas prices by $300 annually in 2035.
- The One Big Beautiful Bill’s clean energy tax credit cuts threatened to kill thousands of jobs in OH-09.
Derek Merrin Supported The Big Beautiful Bill Which Extended Trillions In Tax Cuts To The Ultra-Rich While The Bottom 20% Of Households Were Expected To Lose Money Annually
4 findings
- Merrin supported the One Big Beautiful Bill.
- The One Big Beautiful Bill gave more than $1.5 trillion in tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans.
- The One Big Beautiful Bill was expected to lower incomes for the bottom 20% of households.
- Center for American Progress: The One Big Beautiful Bill was “the largest transfer of wealth from working-class Americans to the ultrawealthy in the nation’s history.”
Derek Merrin Said He Would Repeal The Affordable Care Act, Which Provided Coverage To Nearly 40,000 Individuals On Marketplace Plans In OH-09 And Ensured That 300,000 Residents With Pre-Existing Conditions In The District Were Able To Get Health Insurance
3 findings
Derek Merrin Voted To Redirect Billions Of Taxpayer Dollars Away From Public Schools To Pay For Private School Tuition For Families Making Six Figures And Whose Students Mostly Already Attended Private School
2 findings
- 2023: Merrin voted to redirect $2 billion from public schools to pay for private school tuition, including for families making six figures whose students never attended public school to begin with.
- 2025: An Ohio judge ruled that the state’s private school voucher program was unconstitutional and took money away from constitutionally-required public schools.
Derek Merrin Supported Reckless Tariffs Which Were One Of The Largest Tax Increases In The Country’s History And Were Estimated To Cost Americans Thousands Of Dollars
3 findings
- Merrin supported reckless tariffs.
- Tariffs were one of the largest tax increases in the country’s history, causing families to pay thousands of dollars more after raising costs on everything from cars to groceries.
- 2025: Northwest Ohio business owners expressed concerns about Trump’s tariffs raising costs.
Derek Merrin Supported The Iran War Which Was Raising Prices On Everything From Groceries To Gas, And Cost Americans $100 Billion And More Than A Dozen Lives
3 findings
Derek Merrin Was An Anti-Abortion Extremist Who Supported An Abortion Ban With No Exceptions And Wanted To Jail Doctors, Women, And Girls As Young As 13 For Getting Abortions
2 findings
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