In a year where the succession process has been more in focus than probably ever before, the race to succeed the late U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell on the Democratic ballot ended before it even really began. In just a few days, only one of the four candidates, from a field that included Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, Assemblyman Benji Wimberly and Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh, was left standing.
State Sen. Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) was selected by Democratic party officials by acclamation to be the candidate on the November ballot.
If elected in November, Pou would become the first Latina to represent New Jersey in Congress.
“It is a big deal,” she said when asked about her nomination. “I’m so honored and privileged and proud to become the first Latina in the history of the state of New Jersey to go to Congress.”
But Pou’s successful campaign, as it were, brought the succession process into focus again. State law says committee members vote to make the pick, but in practice, only the three county chairs in Hudson, Bergen and Passaic, have to agree on a candidate. Committee members are expected to follow their lead. In Pou’s case, Bergen’s backing was critical, and it brought along Hudson and Passaic quickly, which led to this week’s pro forma exercise, an acclamation vote.
But an acclamation vote is not exactly a secret vote, even with just one candidate to choose from. And critics, including Henal Patel of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, say a secret vote is the minimum level of democratic process voters should be entitled to, even given the time constraints in this case.
“In terms of this existing system, I think that yes, you should have at least an expectation, if not a change in law, to say you should have an anonymous vote, a secret ballot, one of those fundamental parts of democracy, the whole idea of a secret ballot. Do that,” she said. “Let the candidates come and make their case, instead of having a process where everyone watches how heavy-handed party bosses are and just have to live with it.”
Billy Prempeh, the Republican who will face off against Pou in this heavily Democratic congressional district, says Pou is what happens when the party chairs call the shots.
“She’s not the most qualified compared to the other candidates. If they believe that she’s the one then I want her to get on the debate stage,” he said. “I think the people deserve the right to know what this candidate actually stands for, especially since [she’s] been isolated for so long.”
Pou would appear to be the favorite in November. Pasacrell won this district by 12% points in 2022. The next question, of course, is who will succeed Pou in the state Senate. The same potential candidates for Pascrell’s seat will likely put their names up for that process, which includes a convention of committee members in the 35th Legislative District. That maneuvering has already begun.
For Democrats today, they seemed to be OK to have arrived at a solid Democratic vote in Nellie Pou, with just maybe a touch of uneasiness about how they got here.
