Nellie Pou

In the 2024 House race for NJ-9, Nellie Pou (D) won with 50.8% of the vote, defeating Billy Prempeh (R) who received 45.9%. 2 additional candidates split the remaining vote. The 4.9-point margin made this one of the more competitive races of the cycle.

This was an open-seat race with no incumbent running — Bill Pascrell Jr. (D) previously held the seat. Open seats typically attract stronger candidates and heavier spending from both parties. The 2024 presidential election drove higher voter turnout, which can help or hurt down-ballot candidates depending on the top of the ticket. This seat will likely stay on party watch lists as potentially competitive in future cycles.