Jack Metcalf

Who was Jack Metcalf?

Jack Metcalf was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001. He represented the 2nd Congressional District of Washington as a Republican.

Metcalf was born in Marysville, Washington. After graduating from high school, he entered the U.S. Army, and was discharged in 1947. He then worked for two years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a marshal in Alaska. Metcalf received a bachelor's degree in education from Pacific Lutheran University in 1951, and a master's degree from the University of Washington in 1966. Metcalf worked as a teacher for thirty years, later retiring to run a bed and breakfast on his family's homestead at Langley, Washington.

Metcalf was first elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1960, representing the 38th District. Defeated for a third term in 1964, he was elected to the Washington State Senate in 1966 from the 21st District and served until 1974, and served again from the 10th District from 1980 to 1992. He twice ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Democrat Warren G. Magnuson for United States Senate in 1968 and 1974. In 1992, Metcalf again sought national office, but was unable to defeat incumbent Democrat Al Swift in the House election.