Two of the central figures in Fulton County’s election-interference trial against former President Donald Trump scored easy victories Tuesday over their long-shot opponents.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis routed Christian Wise Smith in the Democratic primary as she readied for a November contest against Republican Courtney Kramer. Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, meanwhile, easily won a full term.
Willis’ victory over Wise Smith was never in doubt. But she hoped to run up the score to put her in strong position in November, when Trump’s allies are likely to rally around Kramer. Even so, Willis is heavily favored to keep her seat in the Democratic bastion.
Her allies hope a sweeping victory would put a stamp of approval on the way she runs the office — and her strategy for pursuing the closely watched Trump trial, which could be delayed until 2025 as an appeals court considers a challenge.
Any weakness at the ballot box could inspire new efforts to undermine Willis, who is already facing several probes in the Georgia Senate sanctioned by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who could face charges himself.
Willis’ victory was so complete that the race was called by news outlets even before several of her most prominent supporters — all wearing blue — streamed into her Buckhead campaign party.
Among the well-wishers feting Willis were Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, state Sen. Nan Orrock and Nathan Wade, a former special counsel whose romantic relationship with Willis led to a weeklong effort to disqualify her from the trial.
Willis called her overwhelming victory “a mandate from all voters that what people want is a fair and just system” and proof that voters don’t care about “how many ugly stories are written” about her.
Credit: Ben Hendren for the AJC
Credit: Ben Hendren for the AJC
“What they want is a DA that will be there and will treat them equally,” she added, “and they know they have that in me.”
McAfee, meanwhile, faced the voters for the first time since Gov. Brian Kemp appointed him to the bench in 2022. But to many in Fulton County, he’s already a household name thanks to wall-to-wall coverage of the trial he’s overseeing.
He easily turned back a challenge from civil rights attorney Robert Patillo and Tiffani Johnson, a former assistant solicitor, who was disqualified by an administrative law judge.
“To me, the message is that they want me to get back to work and keep doing what I am doing — getting people their day in court and treating everyone fairly,” McAfee said.
“I strongly believe that justice should be blind and that people should have faith in our system,” he added. “This overwhelming support says that that is what people believe and want.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
