One of those personages who could properly be called the center of attention at Friday night’s Garden State Equality event was Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian.

He’s running again this year for a second, four-year term, but the Republican incumbent will have to wait until the June 6th Primary to find out who his Democratic opponent will be in the general, as Council President Marty Small and At-Large Councilman Frank Gilliam do battle.

Like Guardian, Small has aggressively opposed the state takeover of Atlantic City, while Gilliam has gone on the record as one willing to work with the state through a bad situation. There’s so much bad blood between Small and Guardian that observers of the mayor’s contest don’t rule out the loser of the Democratic Primary backing Guardian. On takeover policy alone, Guardian and Small would be a natural fit – but the council president also points out the differences he has with the mayor over public sector workers.

Guardian’s letting the democratic feud play out.

“I think I’d be foolish at this point to be taking any shots at either opponent because I certainly want to work with the person who’s not the nominee,” the mayor told InsiderNJ.

Of course, he nurses his own intraparty war.  “We survived Hurricane Sandy and we’re going to survive Hurricane Christie,” cracked the mayor, a longtime local foe of the Republican governor.

InsiderNJ asked Guardian if his reelection would make a statement about the GOP in urban areas.

“I think it shows you that the GOP has a big tent,” he said.