DA Fani Willis confronts primary opposition amidst Trump case disqualification clash

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is currently in a legal battle to prevent her from prosecuting the election subversion case against former President Donald Trump and his allies in Georgia.

Adding to her challenges, Democrat Christian Wise Smith, a former Fulton prosecutor and Atlanta solicitor, has entered the primary race against Willis. Following Smith's announcement, Republican lawyer Courtney Kramer, who previously worked in the Office of the White House Counsel under Trump, also joined the race.

The trio is set to compete in a nonpartisan primary this spring, where the top two vote-getters will move on to the November general election. Fulton County, a Democratic stronghold and the home of Atlanta, poses a tough challenge for Kramer, a vocal supporter of Trump.

Willis gained national attention following the 2020 election when she launched an investigation that resulted in criminal conspiracy charges against Trump and others who allegedly attempted to steal Georgia's electoral votes from the rightful winner, Joe Biden. However, Willis has faced increased legal and political scrutiny recently after it was revealed that she had a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, an attorney she hired to assist with the Trump case.

The court is expected to make a decision on Willis’ disqualification within the next week. In order to keep her seat in the fall, Willis must come in first or second place in the May 21 primary, regardless of the court's ruling.

Wise Smith told CNN that his decision to run for office was not influenced by Willis facing disqualification in the Trump racketeering case. He mentioned that he will wait to comment on her situation until more information is available. The final decision to continue with the campaign will be made after that. Currently, they are completing the necessary paperwork after the deadline for qualification.

Smith also mentioned that he has previously run for the same office and is dedicated to ensuring that the residents of Fulton County have trust in their District Attorney.

Smith ran against Willis in the 2020 district attorney election, but he lost to her and former DA Paul Howard in the primary. Later on, he endorsed Howard in the runoff election. In 2022, Smith also ran for the Democratic nomination for state attorney general, but he was unsuccessful.

CNN reached out to Willis for comment, but a spokesperson for her did not respond immediately.

CNN has tried to contact Kramer for a comment.

Despite some acknowledging that Willis' position on the Georgia subversion case is in jeopardy, supporters of the Fulton County DA have been showing their support publicly in recent weeks.

Several notable Georgia Democrats and local political figures attended the court proceedings last month, notably during the initial two days of hearings. This included the moment when Willis testified in her own defense.

Among those present on the second day was Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, a member of the Democratic Party. Dickens sat near the front row behind the DA’s team. According to his press secretary, Dickens felt compelled to show his support after watching coverage of Willis’ testimony the previous day.

Dickens stated at a news conference from City Hall that day that it is not her who is on trial, but Donald Trump for trying to steal an election.

When asked if he thinks that Willis has the backing of Fulton County following her testimony, Dickens confirmed to CNN that she does, and also mentioned the support from the City of Atlanta.

Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, who was the first woman to hold the post, and Charlie Bailey, the 2022 Democratic nominee for state lieutenant governor, were present at the court proceedings.

Also in attendance during the hearings last month were AME Bishop Reginald Jackson, a spiritual adviser to Willis and the leader of a historic Black church in the Atlanta area, as well as Gerald Griggs, the president of the Georgia NAACP.

Griggs stated to CNN that his priority is to protect voting rights in Georgia and to address the concerns raised by citizens in the indictment.

Willis, who took office in 2020, promised to reform her office. She faced a backlog of over 16,000 cases from the previous district attorney, who was a long-time incumbent, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Willis has filed anti-corruption charges against Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug and his group. Just like she is doing with Trump and his supporters, Willis has utilized the racketeering law to create a wide-ranging conspiracy case.

Editor's P/S:

The Fulton County District Attorney's race is heating up with the recent entry of Democrat Christian Wise Smith and Republican lawyer Courtney Kramer. Smith, a former Fulton prosecutor and Atlanta solicitor, has stated that his decision to run is not influenced by Willis' legal challenges. Kramer, a vocal supporter of former President Trump, faces an uphill battle in the Democratic stronghold of Fulton County.

Willis' legal battle stems from a romantic relationship with an attorney she hired to assist with the Trump election subversion case. The court is expected to make a decision on her disqualification within the next week. Willis must come in first or second place in the May 21 primary to keep her seat in the fall, regardless of the court's ruling. Notable Georgia Democrats and local political figures have shown their support for Willis in recent weeks, attending court proceedings and publicly backing her.