Nellie Pou

Nellie Pou grew up in Paterson, where her father worked for the city and her mother was a homemaker.¹ Her parents moved from Puerto Rico to New Jersey in 1953 and raised five children.² Her campaign biography recalls her mother's habit of making room at the table for relatives and guests.¹ She is also a mother and grandmother.¹ She attended Paterson public schools and later studied at Kean, Rutgers and the University of Virginia.¹³

Pou's work for Paterson city government dates to 1975.³ Her municipal career included serving as director of human services and business administrator.¹ She entered the New Jersey Assembly in 1997 and held leadership positions including assistant minority leader and deputy speaker.³

She joined the state Senate in 2012 and served as majority caucus chair from 2022 until entering Congress in 2025.³ Democrats selected her as their 2024 House nominee after Representative Bill Pascrell's death.⁴ She now serves on the House Homeland Security and Transportation and Infrastructure committees.³

Pou favors extending enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, lowering prescription drug costs and protecting veterans' benefits.⁵ She also supports more affordable housing, preservation of Social Security and Medicare, and funding for police and firefighters.¹ Listed on the ballot as Nelida Pou, she faces Republican Rosie Pino in the district covering parts of Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties.⁶