Jennifer Metzger (born February 3, 1965) is an American politician serving as the County Executive of

Ulster County, New York Ulster County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is situated along the Hudson River. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 181,851. The county seat is Kingston, ...

since 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party and previously represented the 42nd district in the

New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...

from 2019 to 2020, and served on the Rosendale town council from 2013 to 2018.

Background

Metzger was born and raised in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. She graduated from

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1833, it is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational lib ...

in 1987 and earned her Ph.D. in political science from

Rutgers University Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...

in 2004. She is married with three children. In 1988, Metzger began work as a public affairs coordinator with the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

, and later served as an instructor at the Walt Whitman Center for Culture and Politics of Democracy and

. In 2001, Metzger and her husband moved to

Rosendale, New York Rosendale is a town in the center of Ulster County, New York, United States. It once contained a village Rosendale, primarily centered around Main Street, but which was dissolved through vote in 1977. The population was 5,782 at the 2020 census. ...

, a hamlet in the

Hudson Valley The Hudson Valley or Hudson River Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The region stretches from the Capital District (New York), Capital District includi ...

. She later chaired the Rosendale environmental commission and served as deputy town supervisor. In 2013, Metzger was elected to the Rosendale town council. She was reelected in 2017. Metzger founded the nonprofit organization Citizens for Local Power, which organized dozens of town and city councils across the country.

New York State Senate

In February 2018, Metzger announced that she would challenge longtime Republican Senator John Bonacic for his seat. Several months later, Bonacic announced that he would retire. In September, Metzger defeated Pramilla Malick in the Democratic primary. She faced Orange County Clerk Annie Rabbitt in the general election. Metzger defeated Rabbitt 52% to 48%. Metzger was named Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. In 2019, she voted for the Green Light Law, which allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain driver licenses. She also voted for a law that ended cash bail in New York, but later proposed revisions to that law. She introduced a bill that, if passed, would codify New York's existing ban on hydraulic fracking, as well as a constitutional amendment to bar the inclusion of non-budgetary legislation in the New York state budget. She is a supporter of a single-payer health insurance system. In 2020, Metzger lost her re-election bid to Republican Mike Martucci by approximately 1% of the vote. Metzger won 60% of the vote in Ulster County in the election for the 42nd Senate District.

Ulster County Executive

In November 2022, Metzger defeated Republican Town of Ulster Supervisor James Quigley by 12% for the role of Ulster County Executive. Metzger became the first female elected to the leadership role, and the third woman to occupy the office. The race was held to fill the unexpired term of former Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, who left office in September 2022 to become the U.S. representative for

New York's 19th congressional district New York's 19th congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in New York (state), New York’s Catskill Mountains, Catskills, Hudson Valley, greater Capital District (New York), Capit ...

. Metzger went on to win a full term in November 2023, running unopposed.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Metzger, Jen Living people 1965 births People from Rosendale, New York Oberlin College alumni Rutgers University alumni Democratic Party New York (state) state senators Women state legislators in New York (state) 21st-century American women politicians Ulster County executives 21st-century members of the New York State Legislature