INDIANAPOLIS – State Sen. Jim Merritt, R-Indianapolis, announced Tuesday he will leave the Senate in November.
Merritt is the longest-serving Republican senator, first elected in 1990. Merritt’s district covers parts of Marion and Hamilton counties. His seat is up for reelection in 2022.
The news release didn’t specify why Merritt will step down.
"Serving the people of Indiana for the past 30 years has been the greatest honor of my life," Merritt said in a release. "I'm incredibly thankful to the people of Marion and Hamilton counties who have placed their trust in me and given me the chance to work on so many critical issues for our region and state. It's hard to step down from a role that I am so grateful to serve in, but I look forward to the opportunity to serve in new capacities in the years ahead."
Merritt serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Utilities, and as a member of the Senate Committees on Commerce and Technology, Homeland Security and Transportation, Public Policy, Rules and Legislative Procedure, and Veterans Affairs and the Military.
He ran for mayor of Indianapolis in 2019 but lost to incumbent Democrat Joe Hogsett.
