Pou raises $490k, stockpiles $1.1 million for re-election campaign

Swing-district Rep. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) raised $490,311 in the 3rd quarter of 2025; the first-term congresswoman has raised more than $1.3 million since the beginning of the year, making her one of New Jersey’s most prolific fundraisers.

Pou – who never had to run in a closely contested race until her congressional district unexpectedly voted for Donald Trump last year – ended the quarter with $1,127,036 in her campaign account ahead of what could be an expensive contest in 2026.

“New Jersey needs a representative who shows up and delivers for working families day in and day out, and that person is Nellie Pou,” Morghan Cyr, Pou’s campaign manager, said in a statement. “From fighting to lower costs to protecting health care, Nellie is taking on the tough fights for her constituents and that’s exactly why she is receiving such strong support for her re-election campaign. Nellie is ready to keep working on behalf of the people of New Jersey.”

The congresswoman’s fundraising has stayed largely consistent throughout the year; she raised $351,000 in the 1st quarter and $504,000 in the 2nd quarter.

A longtime state legislator, Pou was elected to represent the Paterson-based 9th district last year after Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) died at 87. The district was seen as safely Democratic at the time, but fueled by gains with Hispanic voters, Trump narrowly carried the district against Kamala Harris; Pou won her first term in Congress by a 51%-46% margin over Republican Billy Prempeh in a race that few thought would be close.

Pou was one of just 13 House Democrats to win a Trump-won seat, instantly making her a top target for Republicans in 2026. The question remains, though, whether Republicans in Bergen and Passaic Counties – who haven’t made a serious play for any local congressional district in years – will be able to make a serious play for the seat and keep up with Pou financially, a critical test in the expensive New York City media market.

Prempeh is running again, but he’s only reported raising around $1,400 so far, while Clifton Councilwoman Rosie Pino entered the race after the most recent filing deadline; both Republicans have yet to file their 3rd quarter reports.