ATLANTA — Fani Willis beat challenger Christian Wise Smith in the Democratic primary and is now set to face off against Republican Courtney Kramer in the fall.
In her celebratory victory speech Tuesday night, Willis touted the reduction in violent crime in Atlanta by going after gangs.
She took a moment to acknowledge the attacks she's faced in prosecuting Georgia's election interference case but connected it to a bigger fight to maintain the rule of law.
"All the attacks in the world can't stop us. And they will not stop us. This is a fight for safety. It's a fight for justice. But most, it's a fight for the rule of law. And we are just at the beginning of this fight.
Willis also thanked her supporters, adding, "Nobody is supporting me but the people of Fulton County."
Read the D.A.'s full remarks below. (Story continues after the video)
Full Speech
"I am just so humbled and so grateful to the citizens of Fulton County who made this possible. Tonight, they delivered a strong and powerful message: they want a district attorney who believes everyone deserves to be safe and everyone is entitled to some dignity. And it's a message that's pissin' folks off, but there is no one above the law in this country, nor is there anyone beneath it.
You all, four years ago when I came and took this seat, me and that man over there, Chief Meadows of the City of South Fulton, we were really frustrated because we were telling people there was a gang problem, and people were acting like we had two heads. They said there was a gang problem in Chicago. There was a gang problem in L.A. It Might have been a gang problem in D.C., but there was not a gang problem in Atlanta. And we were saying, 'No, there is,' and if you don't deal with reality, reality will deal with you. And so we put into effect a balanced approach. But I need everyone here to understand: This is just a pause.
We are not at the end of the road. In fact, I submit to you that we're at the beginning. The campaign does not end tonight. It begins tonight. And so right here tonight, this is a fundraiser, in case you are confused. If you left some money at the door, go back and leave the mall. I have two stores going. I won't go and buy a T-shirt because you want me to wear it. Cause we are in this fight for the long haul...My opponent has super PACs already supporting her. The Republican Party of this country and the state have already supported her. But right here is a grassroots campaign.
On her legacy
Nobody is supporting me but the people of Fulton County. And so we need you all the way in if you believe this campaign...Last night, Rachel Maddow said that this campaign and this movement is the bellwether of democracy. And we need you to support us. Four years ago, you elected me as D.A. to bring crime down. And I think you've heard. We've done just that. But I need to remind you of where we were four years ago. Not only was crime just going wild, but we also were in a state where George Floyd had just been murdered. And it was on the back of many, many atrocities. And as a result of these ugly, ugly things that were happening in our communities, people were dissatisfied with law enforcement and the justice system. And guess what? They were right. There was no reason to have this.
Also, there are many here on my team, and they know we walked into a district attorney's office that was completely broken. But if I didn't do anything else right, I put together a team of fierce warriors, and they are making a tremendous difference. They are changing the challenges. Let me say that for you again: What the mayor said, homicides are down 21%. That means mamas are going home hugging their babies. You understand?
That means mamas attending their son's graduations. They're going to their children's weddings. They are enjoying just having Sunday dinner. Not buying caskets. I need you to understand that violent crime all over is down 25%. Rape is down 49%. Some of you will say, the doubters will say, well, crime is down all over the country. It is down 5%. Are we doing something right here in Fulton County? Understand? We have the third-largest crime drop in America. We only chase in San Antonio, Texas, in Arlington, Texas.
We've done this by unapologetically going after violent criminals and the powerful. No matter how powerful they think, they are. While giving first-time offenders a second chance. We've developed programs for young people. I have the Reach program. It is the only program like that in the country where the DA's office is in the school system all year long, and folks challenge me on my budget. But I came and wondered what I told them. I'd rather see them in the classroom than in the courtroom. And this balanced approach is working because we are making tremendous progress. But please understand I'm just getting started making this community safer.
This election is bringing into focus very important matters about who matters. Should your safety depend on your zip code? What about your race? Should it depend on who you choose to love? Should it depend on if you're male or female?
On her Republican opponent
Now my opponent is completely unqualified. Completely. She has less than four years of practicing law. She has never been in a criminal courtroom. But while she is inexperienced and unqualified and does not represent the values of my county. Don't get confused. She is a real threat because of who backs her and how they back her. She does not have allegiance to the people of my county. She has allegiance to politics. And the powerful interest. Oh, y'all read between the lines. She doesn't believe that everyone is afforded equal protection of the law. She doesn't believe in accountability. She will not do the hard work that is required of a district attorney who wants to make Fulton safer.
And I want you to understand this work is hard. Now, some say that we must choose between safety and justice. But I'm here to tell you they are wrong. What they are really saying, I want you all to hear me. What they are really saying is that certain people matter less. There are certain people's children who matter less. I reject that. We cannot accept violence against anyone, including the impoverished, minorities, homosexuals, transsexuals, not anyone. And not women. As Matthew chapter 25 verse 45 says, 'truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you didn't do for me.'
On attacks against her
But as we have labored in the vineyards of justice, I have been under constant attack. They can call me everything but a child of God. I had to move out of the home where I raised my two beautiful daughters.
From the bottom of my heart, Chief Meadow, I will never be able to thank you enough for your team of servants that, every day, folks don't know twice a day, you have bomb dogs at my house. They don't know that you constantly kept the police on me...Chief Shierbaum made sure when I got to that courthouse, I was safe. They don't know the team that it took just to make sure I kept breathing. And I owed you and Chief Shierbaum and law enforcement in my life. You are absolutely my hero, and I would not have gotten through this without you. But even with all the threats on my life, it is nothing compared to what the victims of violent crime in Fulton County have to often experienced; the deep sadness that comes with being made a victim.
See, this is what they don't understand. They can attack us. They can beat us down, but they will not succeed. So you don't. They don't know the fire that I come from. They don't know that brother John Floyd. But this is the fire that we are made from. All the attacks in the world can't stop us. And they will not stop us. This is a fight for safety. It's a fight for justice. It's a fight for the rule of law. And we are just at the beginning of this fight. So I ask you to dig deep and keep fighting, y'all.
Giving thanks
I want to thank my supporters. I want to thank my daughters, who have gone through things 20-year-old should not have to go through. I want to thank my father, who had to be displaced. Who had to literally monitor my house just to make sure his child was okay. I have a really deep thank you to my friend and partner, Mayor Andre Dickens, and a hero of mine, former Mayor Shirley Franklin. I want to thank Chief Darren Shierbaum once again. Andre Dre him as the chief, and he instantly said, 'I'm in this fight with you, and I recognize there was a gang problem.'
I want to thank Chief Meadows and my sheriff, Sheriff Lamar, for all their inexhaustible leadership and the courage they've had to do to keep me safe. Bishop Jackson. Thank you for always sending those text messages, all the prayers, making sure you rounded up the faith leaders and that I had your support.
From my pastor, Pastor Pollard. I love you and your wife; thank you for taking care of me. To so many other religious leaders. Pastor Philip, who I saw on here tonight, who has been with me when I'm winning and when I'm losing. Thank you for always standing with me. I want to deeply thank the brave women and men who serve as district attorneys and investigators in this county. Can y'all get him a round of applause? In case y'all don't know. We are the best to ever do. You heard what I said. We are the best to ever do it.
So my campaign team, Charlie Bailey, Keesha Carter, Jeremy Howard Harris, and Chris Herman, did that....Lastly, thank you to my dad for teaching me that everyone is entitled to dignity and everyone deserves justice. Thank you to my children for inspiring me to keep getting up and doing this job. In the words of Doctor Luther, Doctor Martin Luther King Junior, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it always bends towards justice.
Tonight, every now and then, you get to stop and smell the roses. And tonight, we are going to stop and smell these roses. We are going to celebrate. We are going to party the day drinking Gray Goose in case anybody wants. We got a different kind of day down here in the dirty, dirty South. But tonight we're going to party. We're going to celebrate these victories. We're going to go to the store out there, and we're going to wake up tomorrow and fight harder. Thank you. Let's have a good night.