John W. Metzger - Politics

Politics

Metzger was a supported of President Theodore Roosevelt and co-founded the Colorado Young Democrats in 1934. He was the organization's president for three terms in the 1930s as well as editor of the magazine with the same name.

After Metzger moved to Adams County, Colorado in the mid-1940s, he took more of an interest in local politics eventually going to the Democratic National Convention in 1948 as a delegate. He soon became the county Democratic Party chair and Colorado's Second Congressional District Chairman. In 1948 he was elected Colorado Attorney General.

Metzger used his new position to challenge the status quo; he required state commissions to comply with state purchasing laws and stop giving out no-bid contracts, he started a campaign against illegal gambling, and in one of his biggest moves he banned using school facilities for religious activities which he believed violated the state constitution. 'Rocky Mountain News' editorial columnist Lee Casey wrote:

Thus far in his career, Mr. Metzger has not demonstrated the possession of a great store of legal learning. But he is certainly active, he pokes his long nose into everything and he doesn’t mind trouble. And thereby he affords a decided contrast to most of the incumbents of his high office. ... He affords welcome relief from the reluctance of so many officials to take a position. He may get into trouble but at least he gives the action that is badly needed in public life.

Although in August 1949 he declared that he had no interest in running for any future political office, in the summer of 1950 he ran once again for Attorney General where he was defeated. In 1952 he choose to run for Governor but lost to incumbent Dan Thornton. In the following years he stayed engaged in local politics and ran for state office a number of times but was never elected.