This year has proven to be a year for historic Democratic conventions, in the presidential race, and with the unexpected passing of Congressman Pascrell necessitating an eleventh-hour convention for a replacement.

Within the auditorium of the Passaic County Technical Institute, a special convention of New Jersey’s 9th Congressional District Democrats was convened to nominate State Senator Nellie Pou as the successor to the late Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. This comes just over two months before the general election. Pou, 68, was born in Paterson, like Pascrell, and serves as the Chairwoman of the Senate Commerce Committee, the Vice-Chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Chairwoman of the New Jersey Legislative Latino Caucus. Pou lives in North Haledon today but has worked in various capacities in Paterson since the 1970s.

Legacy and history-making were the themes of the evening as Pou accepted the nomination unopposed. The legacy of Congressman Pascrell, 87, was invoked by the Democratic chairs of Passaic, Bergen, and Hudson County as well as Pou herself during the convention. Pascrell was laid to rest on Wednesday following services at the Cathedral of John the Baptist in Paterson, with scores of family, friends, and leaders on the local, county, state, and federal level in attendance. Pou received the endorsement of Governor Phil Murphy to succeed the late congressman the same day, saying in a statement, “New Jersey lost a giant with the passing of Congressman Bill Pascrell. As we grieve the loss of a legend, we must come together to carry on his legacy of fighting for the people of North Jersey.”

The history-making aspect was that Senator Pou, if elected, would be the first Latina from New Jersey to sit in the US House of Representatives. During the convention, the Democratic delegates nominating her invoked the greater election taking place nationally: that of Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid for the presidency, potentially the first woman to serve as president, as well as the first black and south-Asian woman to do so, shattering the last, highest glass ceiling in the country.

“When we fight, we win!” was a phrase cheered during Pou’s acclamation. Chairman John Currie told the Democrats gathered that they needed to reach out to their families, friends, and “reasonable Republicans” putting his own spin on the slogan, “when we work, we win!”

Governor Murphy, not in attendance, praised his working relationship with Senator Pou over the last six years, noting work carried out on expanding medical care access, criminal justice reform, and education. “I know she’ll make New Jersey proud as the first Latina to represent our state in Congress, enriching the diversity of our congressional delegation. And beyond making history, she will dedicate every moment of her Congressional career to making progress on behalf of her constituents.”

The governor pledged to do “everything I can” to support her campaign to represent CD-9.

While New Jerseyans mourned the passing of their congressman in CD-9, the political realities of the upcoming election meant that no time could be spared to find a replacement. The Thursday deadline, however, was met. There were 464 committee members present for the convention, both in person and on Zoom. Perhaps nothing is more of a sign of the 2020s than the “Brady Bunch” effect, where blocks of faces were projected on the stage above and behind the county officials seated on the stage of the auditorium.

Pou’s ascent to be nominated to succeed Pascrell, should she win in the November 5 election, would represent another chapter of her career following in the late congressman’s footsteps. In 1997, when Pascrell left the New Jersey Assembly for the House of Representatives, representing CD-8 at the time, Pou entered state-level politics in his place. In 2012, she rose to become State Senator for Legislative District 35, succeeding Senator John Girgenti of Hawthorne.

Shortly after Pascrell’s passing, Democrats had been discussing the matter of who would replace him, with names circulating such as Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh, Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter—the original choice for Passaic County Chairman John Currie, and Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly. Questions began to circulate as to whether there might be a Bergen/Passaic contest, but there was to be no such schism so late in the campaign season. Bergen County Democratic Committee Chairman Paul Juliano and Hudson County Democratic Organization Chairman Craig Guy quickly joined with Currie in endorsing Pou who will go on to face Republican challenger Billy Prempeh.

Chairman Guy said that Pascrell was a friend and “a true leader” in the district. “He fought for some of the same policies that are so important to the people in Hudson and the people in the 9th Congressional District. We’ll miss Bill Pascrell, but I’m excited to have State Senator Nellie Pou as our candidate for the Democratic Party. How cool is it to have everybody here in this room and on Zoom making history right now? How cool is it for us to be part of it? We can’t do it without our Democratic Committee folks, and I thank Chairman Currie and Chairman Juliano.”

Guy said that they had to work with a “tight timeline,” but he was extremely proud of the work done, calling it a historic day.

Chairman Juliano re-emphasized the history-making aspect, potentially, this November. He praised the prospect of CD-9 bringing New Jersey’s first Latina to the halls of Congress. “If I had to have a legacy in the role [of Bergen Democratic chairman], and that was the legacy that I could have, then I’d be happy to move on. It’s very important to me. I’m grateful to all of you.”

Juliano saluted the late congressman in his remarks. “I’d like to just extend the special thank you to former Congressman Bill Pascrell, who was a trailblazer in Passaic and Bergen County, and in fact across New Jersey. We’re grateful for his service throughout his many decades.”

A joint statement from the chairs said, “As the Democratic Chairs of Passaic, Bergen, and Hudson Counties, we are united in our belief that Senator Pou will make history and she is the right choice to represent the 9th District in Washington. Pou has demonstrated dedication to the people of New Jersey throughout her decades of public service. She embodies the values and commitment that our communities need in Congress. We are confident that she will continue to fight for the people of Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic Counties with the same passion and integrity that Congressman Pascrell exemplified.”

The chairs and Pou herself acknowledged and thanked the other potential candidates who sought the position for their own service. It is not unreasonable to imagine the chairs were also a little relieved that no contests were to take place on the convention floor.

“Today, we stand at a pivotal moment in history,” Pou said in her acceptance speech where she outlined her intentions to address poverty, social justice, reproductive freedom for women, the environment, economic opportunity, infrastructure, and housing affordability in particular.

“As I take this step, the significance of being the first Latina to serve in Congress from New Jersey ignites my heart and lifts up my spirit reinforcing in me our most sacred pledge: to defend every person no matter where they come from, no matter who they are, or what they look like, or who they love. We are all District 9, we are all New Jersey, and we are all America. And united, we will make national history by electing the first woman President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris.”

Pou exhorted her fellow Democrats to reach out and rally the voters in the short time between now and election day. “I’m excited about today,” she continued, “but even more excited about tomorrow and all the tomorrows that will follow as we unite to show the residents of our District what is possible when we fight together. And fight we must!”

New Jersey’s 9th Congressional District is a diverse and densely populated one which encompasses the entirety, or parts, of Paterson, Passaic, Clifton, Haledon, Hawthorne, North Haledon, Pompton Lakes, Prospect Park, Wayne, Carlstadt, Cliffside Park, East Rutherford, Edgewater, Elmwood Park, Fairview, Franklin Lakes, Garfield, Hasbrouck Heights, Little Ferry, Lodi, Lyndhurst, Maywood, Moonachie, North Arlington, Oakland, Ridgefield, Rochelle Park, Rutherford, Saddle Brook, South Hackensack, Teterboro, Wallington, Wood-Ridge, Kearny, and Secaucus.