Rep. Nellie Pou, a Republican target, raises more than $3 million for re-election, she says
Republicans looked at Pou after Trump narrowly carried the 9th District in 2024
By Jonathan D. Salant, October 14 2026 5:34 pm
WASHINGTON — Rep. Nellie Pou, the only New Jersey Democrat who appeared on House Republican targeted lists for 2026, said Wednesday that she had brought in more than $3 million for her re-election campaign and had entered October with $1.6 million to spend.
Pou (D-North Haledon) made the announcement in advance of Thursday’s Federal Election Commission filing deadline for congressional races.
She was elected to succeed Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-Paterson) in the 9th District after he passed away in August 2024, received 50.8% of the vote that November, the smallest percentage of any winning House candidate in the Garden State.
Donald Trump carried the district by one percentage point in 2024, leading to Republican hopes that Pou could be beaten, but a year later, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mikie Sherrill carried it by almost 20 points.
Pou’s Republican challenger, Clifton council member Rosemary Pino, struggled to raise money, bringing in just $437,828 through June 30, and House Republican committees did not pour large sums of money into the race to try to turn the district red.
“I am beyond honored to have earned the support of so many members of our community,” Pou said. “With three weeks left, our team is confident and ready to finish strong. Every day I wake up focused on helping our community, delivering results and making life more affordable. I am proud of our record bringing home millions of dollars to the district and I know that we will be even more successful when Democrats take back the House in November.”
The campaign said that more than 85% of her contributions were $100 or less. But the June filings showed Pino raising more small-dollar donations than Pou did, $251,371 to $231,970. Small-dollar donations are those of $200 or less.
Pou is one of only two New Jersey representatives who are not running in safe districts, according to both the Cook Political Report and Inside Elections, two Washington-based publications that track congressional races. But she is considered a strong bet for re-election by both publications.
The only other New Jersey House candidate not rated as being in a safe seat is Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield), who now is considered a slight underdog to Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett.