Rick Metsger

Infobox_State Representative
name =Rick Metsger


width =
height =
caption =
birth_date =birth date and age|1951|08|16
birth_place =Corvallis, Oregon
residence = Welches, Oregon
death_date =
death_place =
state_senate = Oregon
district = 26^th
term_start = 1998
term_end =
predecessor =
successor =
state_house2 =
district2 =
term_start2 =
term_end2 =
predecessor2 = Ken Baker
successor2 =
constituency2 =
office3 =
term_start3 =
term_end3 =
predecessor3 =
successor3 =
constituency3 =
party = Democratic
religion =
occupation =
majority =
relations =
spouse = Kay
children =
website =
footnotes =

Richard Thomas "Rick" Metsger (born August 16 1951) is a Democratic politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. He currently serves in the Oregon State Senate representing District 26, which includes all of Hood River County and parts of eastern Multnomah County and northeastern Clackamas County.

Early life and career

Metsger was born in Sandy, Oregon where he attended elementary school. He graduated from Centennial High School in Gresham. In 1972, he earned a bachelor's degree in communication from Lewis & Clark College, where he also earned a master's degree in teaching in 1975.cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=23727|publisher=Project Vote Smart|title=Senator Rick Metsger|accessdate=2008-05-08] cite web|url=http://www.rickmetsger.com/about.php|title=About Rick|publisher=RickMetsger.com|accessdate=2008-05-08]

Metsger taught at Sam Barlow High School in Gresham from 1973 to 1976 and was an assistant basketball coach at Lewis & Clark during that same time.

ports anchor

In 1977, Metsger was hired as a sportscaster for Portland television station KOIN, [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Walton Becomes Chairman for Rick Metsger's Political Campaign |url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/january102008/walton_metsger_011008.php |work= |publisher="salem-news.com" |date=2008-01-10 |accessdate=2008-05-13] eventually working his way up to sports anchor and sports director. In the early 1990s, Metsger was moved to a combination news and sports role.cite news|last=Baker|first=Jeff|title=Metsger shuffled at KOIN|date=1992-01-25|work=The Oregonian] In August 1992, hours after completing an investigative report about leaking nuclear waste tanks at the Hanford Site, Metsger was fired from the station. The report aired three weeks later (narrated by another reporter), and later won the Best Investigative Reporting award from the Oregon Associated Press Broadcasters Association.cite news|last=Schulberg|first=Pete|title=There's nothing fun about newest family feud|date=1993-03-31|work=The Oregonian] cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.or.us/metsger/bio.htm|title=Senator Rick Metsger|publisher=Oregon State Legislature|accessdate=2007-05-08]

Political career

In 1998, Metsger sought his first political office, running as a Democrat for the Oregon State Senate in the 14th state senate district (later renumbered the 26th due to redistricting). He was unopposed in the Democratic primary, and in the general election, defeated former Oregon House member Jerry Grisham, who had defeated incumbent Ken Baker in the Republican primary.cite news|last=Kohler|first=Vince|title=Lokan retains Oregon House seat by 93 votes|date=1998-11-09|work=The Oregonian] Metsger was re-elected in 2002 and 2006.

In 2008, he became a candidate for Oregon Secretary of State, running to succeed incumbent Bill Bradbury.

Personal

Metsger is a principal at MetsgerForbes LLC, a strategic issues management firm. He and his wife Kay (an open heart surgery nurse) live in Welches, Oregon.

ee also

*Oregon state elections, 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.leg.state.or.us/metsger/ Official House website]
* [http://www.rickmetsger.com/ Campaign website]