Nellie Pou, a New Jersey state senator and a candidate for U.S. Congress, supports statehood for Puerto Rico. Reports from Washington indicate that she is “all but certain” to win the House seat recently vacated by the death of long time Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ). If she prevails in November, Pou will become the state’s first Latina federal legislator.
She has served as President of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, Chair of the New Jersey Senate Commerce Committee, Chair of the New Jersey Legislative Latino Caucus, and Vice Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Pou has spearheaded initiatives in education and healthcare, and is particularly known for her support of small business and entrepreneurs.
Puerto Rican heritage
Pou’s parents migrated from Puerto Rico to New Jersey in 1953. She was born and raised in New Jersey.
If elected, Pou will join five other voting members of the House of Representatives with Puerto Rican heritage: Nydia Velázquez, Darren Soto, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ritchie Torres and Anthony D’Esposito.
The Puerto Rico Democratic Party has endorsed Pou’s candidacy. Party chairman Luis Dávila Pernas said, “[A]s a friend of Puerto Rico, she is an ally of causes that promote the well-being of the Puerto Rican community both on the territory and in the states. Her support for the cause of equality for Puerto Rico reflects her understanding of the needs and aspirations of the Puerto Rican people.”
Governor Pedro Pierluisi also endorsed Pou, saying, “Nellie Pou has been a great friend of the 3.2 million U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico throughout her political career. As a fellow Boricua, her voice and advocacy in Congress representing New Jersey will advance the needs of the people of Puerto Rico and Latinos throughout the fifty states and territories.”
Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ) was the first federally elected official to endorse Pou for the seat. “For me, she was the only Hispanic elected [official] to raise their hand for potentially replacing Bill in a district that is 42 percent Hispanic. She has the credentials — she had the best credentials of anyone running. The most, the longest serving legislator of those who raised their hand, and she she’s going to make history as the first Latina to represent New Jersey in Congress, and she put all those things together. And to me, you know, it was an obvious choice,” said Menendez.
Biography
Pou attended Kean College, Rutgers University, and the University of Virginia. She has worked for the city of Paterson through most of her professional career. She served on a wide range of committees, including the commerce and judiciary committees.
She is facing three other candidates in the upcoming Congressional election, but is the only Hispanic candidate for a district in which 42% of voters are Hispanic, and has been widely endorsed by political and policy leaders in New Jersey and Washington.
