Jen Metzger

Jennifer "Jen" Metzger (born February 3, 1965) is an American politician serving as the County Executive of Ulster County, New York since 2023.[1] She is a member of the Democratic Party (United States). She previously represented the 42nd district in the New York State Senate from 2019 to 2020, and served on the Rosendale town council from 2013 to 2018.

Jen Metzger
3rd County Executive of Ulster County
Assumed office
January 1, 2023
Preceded byJohanna Contreras (Acting)
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 42nd district
In office
January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2020
Preceded byJohn Bonacic
Succeeded byMike Martucci
Personal details
Born (1965-02-03) February 3, 1965
New York City, New York, U.S.
SpouseJohn Schwartz
Residence(s)Rosendale, New York
Alma materOberlin College (B.A.)
Rutgers University (Ph.D.)
WebsiteOfficial website
Campaign website

Background

Metzger was born and raised in New York City.[2] She graduated from Oberlin College in 1987 and earned her Ph.D. in political science from Rutgers University in 2004.[3] She is married with three children.[2]

In 1988, Metzger began work as a public affairs coordinator with the United Nations, and later served as an instructor at the Walt Whitman Center for Culture and Politics of Democracy and Rutgers University.[4]

In 2001, Metzger and her husband moved to Rosendale, New York, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley.[5] She later chaired the Rosendale environmental commission and served as deputy town supervisor.[6] In 2013, Metzger was elected to the Rosendale Town Council.[7] She was reelected in 2017.[8]

Metzger founded the nonprofit organization Citizens for Local Power, which organized dozens of town and city councils across the country.[5]

New York State Senate

In February 2018, Metzger announced that she would challenge longtime Republican Senator John Bonacic for his seat.[9] Several months later, Bonacic announced that he would retire.[10] In September, Metzger defeated Pramilla Malick in the Democratic primary. She faced Orange County Clerk Annie Rabbitt in the general election.[11][12] Metzger defeated Rabbitt 52% to 48%.[13]

Metzger was named Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.[2] In 2019, she voted for the Green Light Law, which allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain driver licenses.[14] She also voted for a law that ended cash bail in New York, but later proposed revisions to that law.[15] Metzger was the lead sponsor of the "Boss Bill", a 2019-passed law that bars employers from taking employees' reproductive health choices into account when making employment decisions.[16] She introduced a bill that, if passed, would codify New York's existing ban on hydraulic fracking,[17] as well as a constitutional amendment to bar the inclusion of non-budgetary legislation in the New York state budget.[18] She is a supporter of a single-payer health insurance system.[19]

In 2020, Metzger lost her re-election bid to Republican Mike Martucci.[20][21]

References
  1. "Ulster County Executive: Democrat Jen Metzger beats Republican Jim Quigley by significant margin". Daily Freeman. 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  2. "Jen Metzger named chairwoman of state Senate Agriculture Committee". Daily Freeman. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  3. "Voters Guide: Metzger, Rabbitt aim for 42nd Senate District seat". The Poughkeepsie Journal. October 26, 2018. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  4. Wallace, Seth (December 20, 2018). "Ritchie out as Ag chair, new leader Metzger pledges to listen to local farmers". Oswego County News Now. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  5. "Rosendale Councilwoman Jen Metzger mulls state Senate run". Daily Freeman. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  6. Kemble, William. "Rosendale Town Board wishes councilwoman well in new role as New York state senator". Daily Freeman. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  7. Kemble, William (November 6, 2013). "Rosendale: Democrats Jennifer Metzger, Chris Pryslopski elected to Town Board". Daily Freeman.
  8. Platt, Frances Marion (November 8, 2017). "Rosendale election: Walsh, Metzger, Igoe and Pryslopski win; Pape hangs onto justice bench". Hudson Valley One.
  9. Platt, Frances Marion (April 1, 2018). "Rosendale councilwoman Metzger takes aim at Bonacic's State Senate seat". Hudson Valley One.
  10. Campbell, Jon (April 27, 2018). "3 NY Senate Republicans drop re-election bids in 3 days". The Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  11. Howland, Jack (September 13, 2018). "Metzger defeats Malick in Democratic primary for 42nd Senate District". The Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  12. Lewis, Rebecca (2018-04-30). "Previewing the 2018 state Senate elections". CSNY. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  13. "Our Campaigns - NY State Senate 42 Race - Nov 06, 2018". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  14. Kirby, Paul. "ELECTION 2020: Martucci rips Metzger's support of Green Light Law". Daily Freeman.
  15. Reporter, JOE MAHONEY CNHI State. "Poll: NY bail reform unpopular". Press-Republican.
  16. Harle, Denise (November 25, 2019). "New York's latest bid to bully the religious".
  17. Kirby, Paul. "State Sen. Jen Metzger introduces bill to ban fracking permanently in NY". Daily Freeman.
  18. Dunne, Allison (5 May 2020). "NYS Senator Wants To Keep Legislation Out Of The Budget". www.wamc.org.
  19. Kirby, Paul. "Sen. Metzger backs single-payer health care in New York, but unsure of passage in Senate". Daily Freeman.
  20. McKenna, Chris (November 24, 2018). "Metzger concedes Senate race to Martucci before court takes up challenged absentee ballots". Times Herald-Record.
  21. Rink, Mary (November 24, 2018). "Metzger concedes in close race for 42nd Senate District – The Legislative Gazette".


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