The wife of an NFL legend is looking to unseat a Democrat in a district that has long been controlled by the left-wing party.
The congressional seat, NJ-09, is held by Democrat Nellie Pou, who won by less than 5% of the vote in 2024.
‘Congresswoman Nellie Pou has a charmed life.’
The district has been held by Democrats since the early 1980s, but that is not scaring off Tiffany Burress, a Pittsburgh native. Pittsburgh is also where her husband, former wide receiver Plaxico Burress, spent the first part of his NFL career, playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Plaxico won the Super Bowl with the New York Giants in 2008, beating the undefeated New England Patriots led by Tom Brady, 17-14. The former Michigan State star caught the game-winning touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning.
According to the New York Post, Mrs. Burress serves on the Workers’ Comp committee of the New Jersey State Bar association, has been recognized as for her work as an attorney, and is a former college athlete at Penn State.
The seat she hopes to win also includes MetLife/Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the Giants play.
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“Congresswoman Nellie Pou has a charmed life. Fifty years on the government dime, never had a private sector job. In 1997, doors started opening,” Burress said in her campaign ad, which alleged that Pou has been gifted all her government roles.
Burress said that while doors opened for Pou, she herself has “busted through them,” on top of being willing to call out Republicans when they are wrong.
The campaign for Rosie Pino, who is also running as a Republican, told Fox News Digital that Pino is the “only proven winner in this race.”
“Supporting an unknown, untested, out-of-touch candidate who does not reside in the district and changed her party affiliation a few weeks ago just to run for office, would be the political equivalent of shooting ourselves in the leg — dividing the Republican Party and forfeiting the opportunity to hold the critical House Majority,” said Pino spokesman Kennith Gonzalez.
Democrat support for the N.J. seat has lessened over the years; Democrats won with 74% of the vote in 2012 and remained around 70% until 2020.
That year, incumbent Democrat Bill Pascrell (now deceased) won with just 65.8% of the vote, and that number dropped to 55% in 2022.
In 2024, Pou won with just 50.8% of the vote; the leading Republican got 45.9%.
At the same time, the district has voted heavily for Democrats in federal elections — until 2024.
In 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020, at least 59% of voters in NJ-09 chose the Democrat presidential nominee. In 2024 however, Trump won the district 49% to 48%.
As it stands, New Jersey’s state Senate is majority blue, with 25 seats held by Democrats and 15 by Republicans.
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