Pou not weighing in – yet – on N.J. gubernatorial primary

Two of Rep. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon)’s House colleagues from neighboring districts may be running for governor of New Jersey this year, but the first-term congresswoman isn’t taking sides in the six-way Democratic primary fight – at least not yet.

Asked today whether she planned on weighing in on the race for governor, Pou said that she was “sure that there will be a time when that happens,” but didn’t specify when that time might be (or whether it would come before the primary election). Ultimately, Pou said, the most important thing for her in any Democratic candidate is making sure that they’re someone who is capable of beating the Republican nominee and keeping the governor’s office in Democratic hands.

“I do believe that it’s important that whoever prevails is able to win the election, so that we can continue to have the progress that the Democratic Party has been able to make,” she said. “We know what’s happening here in Washington on a federal level, and we need to be mindful that we are not caught up with a situation that puts in jeopardy those very vital services and important issues that would change the outcome for our residents in New Jersey.”

Pou’s 9th congressional district is sandwiched in between the home bases of two top contenders, Reps. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) and Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly), and she shares parts of Passaic and Bergen Counties with one or both of them. The three Democratic county chairmen from Pou’s district have all taken sides for one of the two House members: Bergen Democratic Chair Paul Juliano has endorsed Gottheimer, and Passaic Democratic Chair John Currie and Hudson Democratic Chair Craig Guy are with Sherrill. (Guy was initially a Gottheimer supporter, but switched allegiances earlier this month.)

Pou, a longtime former state legislator, also has a personal relationship with former Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford); the two served in the State Senate together for ten years before Sweeney unexpectedly lost re-election in 2021.

“They’re all great candidates, they’re all good Democrats,” Pou said of the field, which also includes Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, and New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller. “I know them all. All of them – some more so than others – are my friends, and I’ve had an opportunity to establish relationships with each of them. I would be happy to stand with whoever prevails in the primary.”

Four of Pou’s House colleagues have already made endorsements in the race: Reps. Herb Conaway (D-Delran) and Donald Norcross (D-Camden) are backing Sweeney, while Baraka has endorsements from Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) and LaMonica McIver (D-Newark).

Senator Andy Kim has also said he plans on getting involved in the gubernatorial primary on behalf of a candidate who supports his reform agenda, though he’s not saying yet who that candidate will be; Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch), too, has said he’ll “eventually” decide on who to endorse for governor.