Rep. Pascrell Successor Likely to Also Be Pro-Israel

As Democrats in New Jersey’s 9th District begin working around the clock to replace the late Rep. Bill Pascrell as their nominee for Congress, signs are strong that the veteran lawmaker’s successor will be someone who shares his strong pro-Israel stance — newsworthy in a district with a growing Muslim population.

Almost immediately after Pascrell’s death last week at age 87, Democrat committee members from the 9th District’s towns in Passaic, Bergen, and Hudson County began to meet and discuss selection of a new nominee.

Late Monday afternoon, the Democrat chairmen from all three counties in the district — Paul Juliano (Bergen), John Currie (Passaic), and Craig Guy (Hudson) — endorsed State Sen. Nellie Pou for nomination. Pou, 68, would be the first Hispanic member of Congress from New Jersey.