Thomas Charles Merritt was born on February 27,1948 and is an American businessman from Longview, Texas and a Republican former member of the Texas House of Representatives.
20 Facts About Tommy Merritt
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Tommy Merritt represented District 7 from January 1997 until January 2011.
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Tommy Merritt is a devout Christian and member of Kilgore First Baptist Church, the Businessmen's Bible Club at the First Baptist Church in Longview, and he attends the BarNone Cowboy Church in Tatum, Texas.
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From 1971 to 1974, Tommy Merritt worked as an inspector for the United States Postal Service.
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From 1986 to 1993 Tommy Merritt served as one of the directors of the Gregg County Appraisal Board, which led to his appointment by Governor Bill Clements to the Sabine River Authority in 1990.
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Tommy Merritt went on to win a seat in the Texas House of Representatives after being unopposed in the 1996 general election; in 2008 he was elected to a seventh term.
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Tommy Merritt co-authored the bill which added "Under God" to the Texas Pledge.
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In 2009, Tommy Merritt authored "campus carry" legislation allowing concealed handgun license holders to carry their weapons on college campuses, while in 2007, Tommy Merritt authored legislation waiving or reducing concealed license handgun fees for military members and veterans.
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Tommy Merritt co-authored bills to keep the state from recognizing same-sex civil unions in 2003.
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In 2003, Tommy Merritt co-authored legislation requiring Texas students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance as well as a bill to guarantee a daily moment of silence in Texas public schools.
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In 2007, Tommy Merritt co-authored legislation to include the phrase "Under God" in the Texas Pledge of Allegiance.
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Tommy Merritt had a strong record of fighting for lower spending and lower taxes.
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In 2009, Tommy Merritt co-authored legislation to limit growth in state spending to the rate of population growth plus the rate of inflation.
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In 2009, Tommy Merritt co-authored legislation to reform the state's franchise tax, exempting more small businesses.
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Tommy Merritt authored or co-authored numerous bills to overturn and subsequently prohibit inheritance taxes in Texas in 2005 and 2003.
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Tommy Merritt authored the bill establishing the first Texas Legislative Medal of Honor in this history of the state.
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In November 2008, Tommy Merritt announced his candidacy for Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.
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Tommy Merritt stated he was willing to end his own candidacy to support Straus, who won a unanimous vote for Speaker.
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In March 2010, Tommy Merritt lost the Republican nomination for District 7 to David Simpson, former mayor of Avinger.
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Meanwhile, Simpson, who beat back Tommy Merritt's attempt in 2012 to return to the House, was a candidate in January 2013 for Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives against Joe Straus of San Antionio, whom Tommy Merritt had supported in 2009, when Straus ousted the previous Republican speaker, Tom Craddick of Midland.