NYC-CC33: Brooklyn County machine backs candidate against Lincoln Restler (D)
Brooklyn Democratic Party Boss Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn is adamantly backing one of her allies Sabrina Gates in her last-minute campaign to challenge New York City Council Member Lincoln Restler, hoping perhaps she’ll be a thorn in the progressive incumbent’s side as he seeks a third term.
This won’t be the first time that Restler and Gates – a longtime Brooklyn Heights resident, community advocate and the Brooklyn Democratic Party’s secretary and deputy director – have been on the same ballot vying to represent the 33rd Council District. While the former ultimately emerged victorious in the competitive 2021 Democratic primary for the North Brooklyn seat, Gates also ran, although she came away with just 5.5% in the first round of ranked choice voting. Restler comparatively got just shy of 50%.
The two are slated to be the only candidates on the Democratic ballot for the June 24 election after Gates started petitioning a little over a week before the April 3 filing deadline. (Restler argued in court last month that Gates’ campaign improperly collected signatures, alleging that some of the witnesses who submitted many of them to the board of elections weren’t actually present when they were gathered. A Brooklyn judge ultimately ruled against the challenge, arguing Restler didn’t provide enough evidence to boot Gates from the ballot).
It’s likely that Restler will again win reelection this time around. He’s raised around $74,000 and has roughly $28,000 in the bank, according to the most recent campaign finance filing. New to the race, Gates has yet to report any fundraising. She told City & State that she plans to hold her first fundraiser in two weeks and hopes to soon qualify for public matching funds. Having the powerful chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party in her corner will no doubt be helpful.
https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2025/05/brooklyn-county-backs-candidate-against-lincoln-restler/405178/?oref=csny-homepage-river