Just two months after being scrutinized for allegedly showing favoritism to special prosecutor Nathan Wade, Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis cruised to a blowout victory in the Democratic primary election Tuesday night.
Willis, who is leading the charge in the prosecution of former President Donald Trump in the Georgia election interference case, defeated her Democratic opponent Christian Wise Smith, taking 87% of the nearly 90,000 votes in the heavily Democratic county. The district attorney will now face Republican nominee and pro-Trump candidate Courtney Kramer in the November general election.
“People want a DA that … treats everybody equally and that works hard, and they know that they have that in me,” Willis told reporters following her primary victory, the Associated Press reported.
The incumbent’s massive victory came after she skipped a debate against Wise Smith last month, leaving her opponent to debate with an empty podium. Wise Smith, who campaigned as the more progressive candidate, also lost to Willis in the 2020 primary election.
Fani Willis skips DA debate.
“Fani declined to participate in the debate and is represented by an empty podium.” pic.twitter.com/9MK24gRE5g
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) April 29, 2024
Willis became a nationally recognized figure in the Democratic Party last year after her office brought 13 charges against Trump after he challenged Georgia’s election results in 2020. Three of those charges against the former president were dismissed by Judge Scott McAfee earlier this year in what was one of multiple setbacks for Willis in her pursuit of a Trump conviction.
More trouble arose for Willis when she faced possible disqualification from her case against Trump after defense lawyers alleged that the Democratic district attorney misused taxpayer dollars and showed favoritism to her former lover, Wade. In his ruling on whether Willis could continue prosecuting Trump, Judge McAfee said the district attorney acted with a “tremendous lapse in judgment,” adding that he found an appearance of “impropriety,” but said the defendants had “failed to meet their burden” of proving a conflict of interest based on Willis and Wade’s relationship.
Shortly after the judge’s ruling, Wade resigned from the case, saying, “I am offering my resignation in the interest of democracy, in dedication to the American public, and move this case forward as quickly as possible.”
Wade surprised some guests with his presence at Willis’ victory party on Tuesday night.
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“Well consider me shook. At DA Willis’ campaign party in Buckhead and Nathan Wade just walked in. All smiles,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Tamar Hallerman wrote on X.
Well consider me shook. At DA Willis’ campaign party in Buckhead and Nathan Wade just walked in. All smiles pic.twitter.com/hc7uKPn5ka
— Tamar Hallerman (@TamarHallerman) May 21, 2024
Judge McAfee, who was randomly assigned to oversee the Trump trial in Georgia, also won a non-partisan election on Tuesday night, assuring he will keep his seat.
It remains unknown when the Georgia election interference case against Trump will begin, and it’s becoming increasingly unlikely that it will get off the ground before the 2024 election, which was initially the goal of Willis’ office. Earlier this month, a Georgia appellate court agreed to hear a challenge to Judge McAfee’s ruling that Willis could continue leading the case against Trump.
