▁K OIN , ▁eventually ▁working ▁his ▁way ▁up ▁to ▁sports ▁anchor ▁and ▁sports ▁director . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁M ets ger ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁combination ▁news ▁and ▁sports ▁role . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁hours ▁after ▁comple ting ▁an ▁investig ative ▁report ▁about ▁le aking ▁nuclear ▁waste ▁t anks ▁at ▁the ▁Han ford ▁Site , ▁M ets ger ▁was ▁fired ▁from ▁the ▁station . ▁The ▁report ▁a ired ▁three ▁weeks ▁later ▁( n arr ated ▁by ▁another ▁rep orter ), ▁and ▁later ▁won ▁the ▁Best ▁Investig ative ▁Report ing ▁award ▁from ▁the ▁Oregon ▁Associ ated ▁Press ▁Broad c aster s ▁Association . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁M ets ger ▁sought ▁his ▁first ▁political ▁office , ▁running ▁as ▁a ▁Dem ocrat ▁for ▁the ▁Oregon ▁State ▁Senate ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁state ▁sen ate ▁district ▁( l ater ▁ren umber ed ▁the ▁ 2 6 th ▁due ▁to ▁red istrict ing ). ▁He ▁was ▁uno pp osed ▁in ▁the ▁Democratic ▁primary , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁general ▁election ; ▁he ▁defeated ▁former ▁Oregon ▁House ▁member ▁Jerry ▁Gr ish am , ▁who ▁had ▁defeated ▁inc umb ent ▁Ken ▁Baker ▁in ▁the ▁Republican ▁primary . ▁M ets ger ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁Oregon ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State , ▁running ▁to ▁succeed ▁inc