Hours after TiffinOhio.net published its Feb. 16 report revealing that state Rep. Gary Click had quietly stepped down as pastor of Fremont Baptist Temple, Click took to social media to dispute the reporting — before giving a damage control interview to a local newspaper days later.

TiffinOhio.net reported on Feb. 16 that Click, a Vickery Republican and former community theater actor representing the 88th House District, had stepped down from active pastoral leadership at Fremont Baptist Temple in 2025, with no public announcement found and the church’s website still listing him in active leadership at the time of publication. The story was reshared the same day by political blog Plunderbund, which described it as a “scandal brewing.”

Click replied directly to the Plunderbund post on X, writing: “Actually, it was very public. You just missed it.”

When Plunderbund responded asking Click to “enlighten us,” no further public response from Click has been found.

Scrambling to spin

The church’s website leadership page was quickly updated this week to reflect the transition — nearly a year after Click now says it occurred. Click told the Advertiser-Tribune the transition to pastor emeritus took place at the end of March 2025.

In an interview published Feb. 20 by the Advertiser-Tribune, Click said he was addressing the matter publicly because Democrats “are trying to make something of it.” He did not specify what public announcement had been made at the time of the transition, nor has TiffinOhio.net found evidence of one.

Click’s official Ohio House biography states he “served through 2025” and “recently stepped down and assumed the honorary title of pastor Emeritus,” with Rick Ash assuming the role of lead pastor. In a statement provided to the Advertiser-Tribune, Ash said the transition plan was presented to the church’s deacons and “advisory council” before being shared with the congregation, who “voted overwhelmingly in support.”

National ambitions?

In the same interview, Click said his emeritus status has freed him to pursue an expanding national speaking ministry. Click said he has preached in California, Colorado, and Alabama, as well as Springfield, Kettering and Cincinnati, focusing on what he described as “the justice and biblical role of Christians in civil government” — themes he said are central to HB 486, the “Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act.” Click said he has filed paperwork to establish a nonprofit for that purpose called “We the Church.”

Click, 60, is seeking re-election to what would be a final term due to term limits. He faces Republican challenger Eric Watson of Tiffin, an entrepreneur and election integrity activist, in the May 5 primary for the 88th House District. The winner of the GOP primary will go on to face Aaron Jones of Tiffin, a U.S. Army veteran, manufacturing supervisor, and Tiffin City Council member who is running unopposed in the Democratic primary, in the November general election.