UPDATE: Unofficial numbers show Guardian, Rowan win 2nd Legislative District race

UPDATE Nov. 13, 2025

UPDATE: This story has been revised from its original format to show that ballot counts are unofficial until certified.

Starting in January, a Democrat and a Republican will share responsibilities representing most of Atlantic County. 

Incumbent Republican Assemblyman Don Guardian won the General Assembly Atlantic County District 2 race, but his running mate Claire Swift of Margate failed to achieve re-election for a third term. 

It was an upset for the Downbeach towns of Ventnor, Margate and Longport, which preferred the Republicans over Democrats by a nearly 2-1 margin.

NJ Legislative District 2 also includes Absecon, Atlantic City, Brigantine, Port Republic, Linwood, Northfield, Somers Point,  Egg Harbor, Galloway and Hamilton townships. The western part of Atlantic County is in Legislative District 8.

    Don Guardian and Claire Swift.
  

Unoffical vote counts on the Atlantic County Clerk's website show Guardian won re-election with 39,183 votes. Democrat newcomer Maureen Rowan of Atlantic City came in second with 38,195 votes countywide. Vote counts are unofficial until certified.

Two-term Pleasantville Councilwoman Joanne Famularo came in third with 38,009 votes, while Swift — who campaigned with Guardian — came in fourth with 37,932 votes countywide.

Voters also selected Republican James Curcio of Hammonton to continue serving as Atlantic County surrogate, with 48,580 votes over Democrat Sherri Parmenter, who garnered 45,044 votes across the county. 

According to the County Clerk's posting, there are 237 ballots left to be counted but they are not expected to change the results.

Hamilton Township Republican Art Schenker took the Atlantic County commissioner at large seat with 46,822 votes over Democrat Victoria Dolceamore of Margate, who received 45,822 votes.

Voters in Atlantic County District 1, which includes Atlantic City and Downbeach towns, selected Democrat Collins A. Days Sr. to serve on the Atlantic County Board of County Commissioners. Days received 8,119 votes over Republican George Tibbitt’s 5,910 votes. Tibbitt is an Atlantic City councilman.

Guardian, who previously served as Atlantic City’s mayor for four years before being elected to the NJ Legislature, said the Republican team carried Ventnor, Margate and Longport, but didn’t do as well countywide.

“While walking, we found people had a distaste for the president, which was a big issue. They were also concerned about the cost of living, high taxes and the increasing cost of energy,” he said.

In past elections, about 20 to 30% of Democrats crossed the line to vote for Guardian and Swift, along with about 60% of unaffiliated voters, “but this year, we just didn’t to a good enough job getting them to cross the line, despite running a clean campaign,” he said.

The election decided that Democrats will maintain their majority in the Assembly.

Guardian said despite being in the minority party statewide, he and fellow Republic Sen. Vince Polistina will continue to provide constituent services like they always have, and that he is willing to work with the Democrat assemblywoman-elect to ensure the people of Atlantic County are well served.

“I have always had a good relationship with Democrats because 95% of the time we are voting together on issues involving the cost of living, veterans and more. And they are always happy to listen to us down here in Atlantic County, whether it be about flooding, our beaches, the casinos, just like I listen to their issues with lanes into New York and the tunnel.

 “It’s easy to support what’s right,” he said. “We just have to find the financing to do it.”

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