Lincoln Restler

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Lincoln Restler
Member of the New York City Council
from the 33rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2022
Preceded byStephen Levin
Personal details
Born (1984-03-19) March 19, 1984
PartyDemocratic
SpouseAnna Poe-Kest
EducationBrown University (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website
Campaign website

Lincoln P. Restler (born March 19, 1984) is an American politician and civil servant from New York City, who is a member of the New York City Council for the 33rd district which covers Greenpoint, parts of Vinegar Hill, Williamsburg, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, and other Downtown neighborhoods in northern Brooklyn. Restler co-founded reform political club, New Kings Democrats, and was a New York State Democratic District Leader. He held several positions in municipal government before running for City Council.

Early life and education

Restler grew up in Brooklyn Heights[1] on Pierrepont Street with an older sister.[2] Restler is Jewish and attended the Reform Brooklyn Heights Synagogue in his youth.[3] His father, Peter, founded private equity firm CAI Funds and his mother, Susan, is a former managing director at J.P. Morgan & Co.[4]

He attended the Packer Collegiate Institute[5] and graduated from Brown University with a bachelor in Africana Studies and Latin American Studies in 2006.[5][6][7][8] He was schoolmates with future political opponent and eventual Council predecessor, Stephen Levin.[9]

Career

Restler became involved in politics while in undergrad with the Providence, Rhode Island City Council re-election campaign of David Segal,[7] and in the 2008 presidential primary supporting Barack Obama.[6][10]

He worked for the City of New York as an employee at the Department of Small Business Services and Department of Consumer Protection.[11] Restler co-founded reform club New Kings Democrats in 2008, and worked in the Bill de Blasio administration.[1][5][6][12] He worked on the de Blasio campaign and as senior policy advisor to the mayor.[11][13]

In 2020, Restler resigned from the de Blasio administration and joined the St. Nicks Alliance.[14]

Elected office

Restler was elected District Leader in the 50th Assembly District in 2010 when he was 26.[10][15][16] He was supported by U.S. Representative Nydia Velasquez and then-City Councilmember Tish James.[16] Restler lost the seat in 2012 to Chris Olechowski by 19 votes.[15]

In 2021, Restler ran for the New York City Council 33rd district and defeated seven other candidates to win the Democratic nomination, and ran in the November general unopposed.[17] He received endorsements from State Senators Julia Salazar and Jabari Brisport, the Working Families Party, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Velasquez.[18] In the 7th round of ranked choice voting, he prevailed over closest candidate Elizabeth Adams 63.9%-36.1%.[19]

On the City Council, Restler is part of the Progressive Caucus.[20]

In early 2026, Restler opposed bill 175-B, which proposed to establish "buffer zones" limiting protest near educational institutions, saying that he was concerned it would limit protests on college campuses.[21] When the City Council passed the bill, he supported Mayor Zohran Mamdani's veto of it.[22]

Personal life

Restler is married to Anna Poe-Kest, the chief of staff to director of the New York City Mayor's Office of Management and Budget Sherif Soliman as of May 2026.[23]

Electoral history

2021

2021 New York City Council election, District 33 Democratic primary[24]
Party Candidate Maximum
round		 Maximum
votes		 Share in
maximum
round		 Maximum votes
  First round votes   Transfer votes
Democratic Lincoln Restler 7 16,537 63.9%
​​
Democratic Elizabeth Adams 7 9,332 36.1%
​​
Democratic Victoria Cambranes 6 2,435 8.6%
​​
Democratic Sabrina Gates 6 1,940 6.9%
​​
Democratic Toba Potosky 6 1,892 6.7%
​​
Democratic April Somboun 5 1,588 5.5%
​​
Democratic Stu Sherman 4 1,197 4.1%
​​
Democratic Ben Solotaire 2 623 2.1%
​​
Write-in 1 102 0.2%
​​
2021 New York City Council election, District 33 general election[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lincoln Restler 21,077 98.3
Write-in 344 2.7
Total votes 21,421 100
Democratic hold

2023

2023 New York City Council election, District 33[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lincoln Restler 8,199
Working Families Lincoln Restler 2,726
Total Lincoln Restler (incumbent) 10,925 87.0
Republican Martha Rowen 1,244
Conservative Martha Rowen[27] 274
Total Martha Rowen 1,518 12.1
Write-in 112 0.9
Total votes 12,555 100.0
Democratic hold

2025

2025 New York City Council election, District 33[28][29]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lincoln Restler (incumbent) 25,697 75.3
Democratic Sabrina Gates 8,259 24.2
Write-in 184 0.5
Total votes 34,140 100.0
General election
Democratic Lincoln Restler 38,576
Working Families Lincoln Restler 11,389
Total Lincoln Restler (incumbent) 49,965 98.4
Write-in 788 1.6
Total votes 50,753 100.0
Democratic hold


References

  1. Glesby, Laura (June 13, 2021). "Crowded Field Competes to Represent Brooklyn Waterfront in City Council". Gotham Gazette.
  2. "My Story | Lincoln Restler for City Council".
  3. Silow-Carroll, Andrew (2022-02-09). "How this Jewish politician in Brooklyn wins friends among progressives and the haredi Orthodox". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  4. Bellafante, Ginia (September 13, 2013). "Building Blocs, Not Lofts". The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  5. Richardson, Clem (October 2, 2008). "Brooklynites write a new chapter on giving back". New York Daily News.
  6. Rock, Michael (2 October 2020). "Lincoln Restler Runs for City Council". politicsny.com.
  7. Yurdin, Seth; Bass, Dan; Luna, Miguel; Sperber, Elizabeth; Restler, Lincoln (December 1, 2005). "How Segal fights for the local community". Brown Daily Herald.
  8. "District Leader: Assembly District 50". www.dfnyc.org. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
  9. Short, Aaron (February 17, 2011). "Bedfellows! Rival pols Levin, Restler battle — together and apart — to move MTA bus depot • Brooklyn Paper". www.brooklynpaper.com.
  10. Cole, Williams (August 1, 2012). "Bucking Brooklyn's Machine LINCOLN RESTLER with Williams Cole". The Brooklyn Rail.
  11. Barkan, Ross (March 11, 2014). "Lincoln Restler Joins de Blasio Administration". The New York Observer.
  12. Barkan, Ross (March 11, 2014). "Lincoln Restler Joins de Blasio Administration". Times Union.
  13. Tracy, Matt (November 17, 2016). "De Blasio Adviser Will Not Be Fired Over Protest Sign Dissing White People". Tribeca-FiDi, NY Patch.
  14. Richling, Billy (May 25, 2021). "District 33 Council Candidates Have Big Plans for Climate Resiliency". Bklyner.
  15. Silva, Daniella (October 17, 2012). "Recount Ousts a Brooklyn District Leader by 19 Votes". The New York Times.
  16. Stewart, Henry (October 15, 2010). "At the Lincoln Restler Victory Party: North Brooklyn's Obama?". The L Magazine.
  17. "Lincoln Restler". Ballotpedia.
  18. Shahrigian, Shant (January 10, 2021). "Local liberal stars endorse Lincoln Restler for NYC Council". New York Daily News.
  19. Hoeffner, Melissa Kravitz (July 6, 2021). "Lincoln Restler Wins District 33 City Council Primary". Greenpointers.
  20. Donaldson, Sahalie (2026-01-20). "Meet the new, bigger City Council Progressive Caucus". City & State NY. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  21. Kornbluh, Jacob (2026-03-27). "Analysis: NYC synagogue protest protection vote gives Mamdani cover". The Forward. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  22. Donaldson, Sahalie (2026-04-24). "Council considers options after Mamdani vetoes buffer zone bill". City & State NY. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  23. Donaldson, Sahalie (May 1, 2026). "Hello from the other side: CM Lincoln Restler's wife Anna Poe-Kest works at OMB". City & State. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  24. "2021 Primary Official Ranked Choice Rounds, DEM Council Member 33rd Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  25. "General Election 2021 - Member of the City Council, 33rd Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  26. "General Election 2023 - Member of the City Council, 33rd Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  27. Marked as "Conservative/Medical Freedom".
  28. "2025 Primary Official Ranked Choice Rounds, DEM Council Member 33rd Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. July 22, 2025. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
  29. "General Election 2025 - Member of the City Council, 33rd Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 5, 2025.