Republican analysts and local officials expressed outrage after freshman Rep. Nellie Pou failed to cast a recorded vote on legislation she introduced addressing a critical water crisis in her district. The absence comes amid growing scrutiny over her effectiveness and engagement in Washington.
Rep. Nellie Pou (D‑NJ‑09), serving in one of the districts President Trump flipped in 2024, celebrated advancing her “Water Crisis Prevention Act” from committee to the House floor. Yet she failed to participate in the subsequent roll call vote—despite speaking in favor of the bill just 40 minutes earlier during its markup. Her absence cost her the opportunity to record support for her own measure.
House Republicans seized on the lapse. The National Republican Congressional Committee labeled Pou “clueless, out of touch and soon to be out of job,” criticizing her for skipping the vote while voters suffered without water.
Pou’s office responded by pointing to a voice vote during markup, claiming that it counts as final passage. But congressional procedure experts disagree. Only roll call votes officially record members’ votes—voice votes offer no record of individual stances and are not binding. Pou also skipped two other roll call votes during the same markup session.
Local leadership added pressure from home. Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh and other local officials questioned Pou’s responsiveness during the water main break that left 200,000 residents without water. They demanded federal intervention, noting they received little guidance or support from her office during the crisis.
Critics also highlighted Pou’s concurrent activities. She participated in an AIPAC-affiliated trip to Israel while the water emergency unfolded—an action that did not go unnoticed in her district.
Fundraising data raises further concern. Pou raised a modest $350,000 in the first quarter of 2025 and roughly $500,000 in the second—substantially less than the $1.1 million raised by average swing‑district Republicans in that period. Her financial shortfall could signal trouble heading into both the primary and general election. d
Pou’s district proved to be a narrow Trump win by just one percentage point in 2024—on the heels of President Biden’s 19-point victory there in 2020. The sharp rightward shift highlights the volatility of Pou’s seat and the political risk of appearing disengaged.
