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.
Raised in Palisades Park, New Jersey, and West New York, Guardian graduated from Don Bosco Preparatory High School.
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.
[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.