# Don Guardian

Donald A. Guardian (born June 12, 1953) is an American Republican Party politician who has represented 2nd Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since taking office on January 11, 2022, becoming the first openly gay Republican legislator in state history. He served as the mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey, from 2014 to 2017.

## Early life and education

Raised in Palisades Park, New Jersey, and West New York, Guardian graduated from Don Bosco Preparatory High School. He graduated in 1975 from Upsala College.
Before being elected mayor, Guardian served as an executive with the Boy Scouts of America and at the Claridge Hotel, and headed Atlantic City's Special Improvement District for two decades prior to his election as mayor.
After his time as mayor, Guardian was named as Business Administrator by the Toms River, New Jersey Township Council, for which he was paid an annual salary of $175,000.

## Elective office

On January 19, 2013, Guardian announced that he was challenging incumbent mayor Lorenzo Langford. He won the Republican primary unopposed. On November 5, Guardian defeated Langford by 50% to 47%. In the 2013 United States elections, he defeated incumbent Democratic mayor Lorenzo Langford to become Atlantic City's first openly gay mayor and first Republican mayor since 1990. In the 2017 election, Guardian lost re-election to Democratic city councilman, Frank Gilliam.
Guardian and fellow Republican Claire Swift won the 2021 New Jersey General Assembly election, defeating the Democratic slate of incumbent Assemblyman John Armato and Atlantic County Commissioner Caren Fitzpatrick; the district's other Assemblyman, Democrat Vince Mazzeo, did not seek reelection to the Assembly in order to make what would ultimately be an unsuccessful bid for the district's State Senate seat.
On January 11, 2022, Guardian was sworn in to the New Jersey General Assembly, making him the first openly gay Republican legislator in state history and the only openly gay member of the New Jersey Legislature.

### Committees

Committee assignments for the current session are:
* Environment and Solid Waste
* Special Committee on Infrastructure and Natural Resources
* Tourism, Gaming and the Arts

### District 2

Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The representatives from the 2nd District for the 2024—25 Legislative Session are:
* Senator Vincent J. Polistina (R)
* Assemblyman Don Guardian (R)
* Assemblyman Claire Swift (R)

## Electoral history

2nd Legislative District general election, 2023 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Don Guardian (incumbent) | 26,675 | 28.8 |
| | Republican | Claire Swift (incumbent) | 25,460 | 27.5 |
| | Democratic | Elizabeth "Lisa" Bender | 20,547 | 22.2 |
| | Democratic | Alphonso Harrell | 19,835 | 21.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 92,517 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
2nd legislative district general election, 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Claire Swift | 31,818 | 26.81% |
| | Republican | Don Guardian | 31,640 | 26.66% |
| | Democratic | John Armato (incumbent) | 28,094 | 23.67% |
| | Democratic | Caren Fitzpatrick | 27,127 | 22.86% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 118,679 | 100.00 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |