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.
Don Guardian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 2nd district | |
| Assumed office January 11, 2022 Serving with Claire Swift | |
| Preceded by | |
| Mayor of Atlantic City | |
| In office January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Lorenzo Langford |
| Succeeded by | Frank Gilliam |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 12, 1953 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Domestic partner | Louis Fatato[1] |
| Residence(s) | Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| Education | Upsala College |
| Profession | Municipal official |
| Website | Legislative webpage |
Early life and education
editRaised in Palisades Park, New Jersey, and West New York, Guardian graduated from Don Bosco Preparatory High School.[2] He graduated in 1975 from Upsala College.[3]
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.[4]
Elective office
editOn January 19, 2013, Guardian announced he was challenging incumbent mayor Lorenzo Langford. He won the Republican primary unopposed. On November 5, Guardian defeated Langford by 50% to 47%.[5][6] 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.[1][7] In the 2017 election, Guardian lost re-election to Democratic city councilman, Frank Gilliam.[8]
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.[9]
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.[10]
Committees
editCommittee assignments for the current session are:[11]
- Environment and Solid Waste
- Special Committee on Infrastructure and Natural Resources
- Tourism, Gaming and the Arts
District 2
editEach 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.[12] The representatives from the 2nd District for the 2024—25 Legislative Session are:[13]
- Senator Vincent J. Polistina (R)
- Assemblyman Don Guardian (R)
- Assemblyman Claire Swift (R)
Electoral history
edit| 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 | 92,517 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| 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 | 118,679 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
References
edit- ^ a b "Don Guardian sworn in as Atlantic City's new mayor", The Press of Atlantic City, January 1, 2014. Accessed January 13, 2022.
- ^ Brennan, John. "Atlantic City makes $1.8M bond payment, avoids default; Christie asks 'What's next?'", The Record, May 2, 2016. Accessed January 13, 2022. "'These are tough times — but the Assembly is tougher,' said Guardian, a Don Bosco graduate who grew up in Palisades Park and West New York."
- ^ Zillman, Claire. "Atlantic City’s salesman-in-chief: Don Guardian’s uphill battle to save a city down on its luck", Fortune, December 27, 2014. Accessed January 13, 2022. "After graduating from now-defunct Upsala College in Essex County, Guardian sought a career in public service. 'I ended college in 1975. If I’d ended it in ’73, I would have been working as a second lieutenant in Vietnam, so I felt it was my responsibility to serve.'"
- ^ Oglesby, Amanda. "Atlantic City mayor Donald Guardian to be next Toms River administrator", Asbury Park Press, December 27, 2017. Accessed January 18, 2018. "Atlantic City Mayor Donald Guardian has weathered tough economic times in his city — the reason Toms River Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher says Guardian is the right person to take over as the township's new business administrator. The Township Council approved Guardian's appointment on Tuesday night. He will replace outgoing Business Administrator Paul Shives, Kelaher said."
- ^ "Don Guardian taking over as Atlantic City mayor", "WPVI-TV 6ABC Action News", January 1, 2014.
- ^ "Vote count appears to seal win for AC mayoral challenger Guardian", The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 1, 2013.
- ^ "Can A.C.'s first GOP mayor in decades help save city?". Philly.com. March 19, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
- ^ "Frank Gilliam wins Atlantic City mayor's office". pressofatlanticcity.com. November 8, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
- ^ Bongard, Kimberlee. "Guardian, Swift Win Assembly Seats In 2nd District: AP", Galloway, NJ Patch, November 4, 2021. Accessed April 10, 2022. "Claire Swift and Don Guardian have been elected to the New Jersey Assembly in the 2nd Legislative District, according to results from The Associated Press. The two Republican candidates defeated Democratic Assemblyman John Armato and Caren Fitzpatrick. Guardian received 30,414 votes, unseating Armato with 26,702 votes. Swift received the most votes of the four candidates, totaling 30,626 to Fitzpatrick's 25,750 votes."
- ^ Biryukov, Nikita. "Guardian’s election brings LGBT representation back to Statehouse", New Jersey Monitor, November 19, 2021. Accessed January 13, 2022. "Only two other openly gay members have ever held legislative seats in New Jersey. Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, a former assemblyman, become the first after he came out in 2006, and former Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D-Bergen) became the second openly gay member after his 2012 swearing-in. Guardian will be the state’s first openly gay Republican legislator when he’s sworn in on Jan. 11."
- ^ Assemblyman Donald A. Guardian, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed April 10, 2022.
- ^ New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
- ^ Legislative Roster for District 2, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 21, 2024.
- ^ "Candidates for General Assembly - For GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2023 Election" (PDF). New Jersey Department of State. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ "Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/02/2021 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2021.