The 2024 race for Gwinnett County district attorney is beginning to take shape, with Snellville lawyer Andrea Alabi announcing her candidacy as the first challenger to incumbent Patsy Austin-Gatson in the Democratic primary. Alabi said Austin-Gatson has inadequate trial experience and criticized her management, saying the office has lost paperwork and has a lower trial conviction rate than other metro Atlanta counties. 

Alabi previously served as assistant district attorney in Gwinnett County before her current role as chief assistant solicitor general. Throughout her career, the said she has handled more than 1,000 cases and 75 jury trials and “has never lost a homicide case.” Though Austin-Gatson has more cumulative legal experience than Alabi (she was admitted to the state bar nearly 20 years earlier), much of it was spent in civil practice.