Endorsements
“I enthusiastically endorse and support Kirsta Melton for the office of Hays County District Attorney. During my 45 years of private sector executive-level leadership, I learned the most essential qualities of leaders include, of course, competence, but more critically, integrity, character, and exceptionally strong ethics. Someone who is technically competent, yet lacks character, cannot effectively lead and accomplish anything of real value.
With 25 years of proven felony experience, including four years leading the Texas Attorney General's Human Trafficking Section, Kirsta is fully competent to serve as Hays County's District Attorney. Even more importantly, however, I personally know Kirsta and can vouch for her commitment and ability to practice law with utmost integrity and ethics supported by a foundation of exceptionally strong personal character. Please join me in supporting Kirsta Melton for this critical role, one that heavily impacts our quality of life here in Hays County.”
“Kirsta has a profound gift for analyzing complex cases and understanding how to determine what is just on a case-by-case basis. She is a fierce advocate for vulnerable communities, expertly engaging with victims of crime to see that their voices and needs are heard within the criminal justice system while not wavering on the integrity of her role as a prosecutor. Her experience, compassion, clarity, and expertise allow her an unmatched ability to uphold justice that will serve to support the flourishing of the Hays County community.”
“In my time with the Special Victims Unit, few things were more frustrating than filing a solid case only to have the DA’s office refuse to prosecute. I felt this was a denial of justice for both the victim and society in general. Kirsta told me once if I didn’t want a good case to be prosecuted, don’t file it with her. She held true to her word for the 15 years I’ve known her.
From her time as an ADA in Bexar County, heading up the Human Trafficking efforts for the Attorney General’s office or in her NGO work, Kirsta has a passion for justice and for the continued well-being of the victims and their families. Hays County would be well served to have Kirsta Leeburg Melton as their District Attorney.”
“There are people you want by your side when it’s time to go to battle. People you know will bring their gifts, experience, grit, resilience, and creativity to bear on the side of good, truth and justice. People who are calm and measured in the face of outrage and chaos. People who listen intently but act when the time is right. People whose judgment is trustworthy and whose integrity shines through.
Kirsta Melton is one of these people, a person for a time such as this.”
“Kirsta possesses a rare combination of passion for justice, care for people, and strategic leadership. She not only has deeply held personal values, but also has the integrity to live out those values in service of her community. I have had the honor of knowing and working with Kirsta for over 10 years to combat human trafficking. During that time, I have witnessed her unrelentingly pursue justice to defend the dignity of the most vulnerable, hold perpetrators accountable, and protect victims of crime.
Under her leadership, the citizens of Hays County will have a dedicated advocate and champion for their safety.”
"I vote for candidates not for their party affiliation nor that they look like me. I vote for candidates based on their training, experience and official, documented actions.
I support and will vote for Kirsta Melton for Hays County District Attorney.”
“I am excited to support Kirsta Melton for Hays County District Attorney. Upon meeting Kirsta, her passion for ensuring justice for victims, the accused, and the community shines through. Digging deeper, Kirsta's extensive experience as a state- and district-level felony prosecutor coupled with her leadership in developing Texas' human trafficking laws demonstrate her commitment to fight for justice in the courtroom.
Kirsta Melton exemplifies the required experience, judgment, and integrity to effectively serve as the Hays County District Attorney and I am honored to support her.”
“As someone who has had the privilege of working with and learning from Kirsta Melton, I can say with 100% confidence that she will be an amazing District Attorney. Kirsta is not motivated by political ambition but rather by a desire to make sure the justice system is working fairly and efficiently for residents of Hays County.
Her integrity and her intelligence are second to none. We should all be so lucky as to have a District Attorney like Kirsta Melton serving our communities.”
"Earlier in my career, I had the privilege of working for Kirsta at the Texas Attorney General’s Office. In addition to her unwavering commitment to seeking justice in her cases, she is equally committed to mentoring and developing every member of her team. Kirsta is a gifted leader, and through both competence and compassion, she builds effective teams and supports everyone in achieving their goals.
The Hays County DA’s Office will benefit greatly from her experience, and the people of Hays County will benefit greatly from her dedication to justice.”
“I started my first job as a prosecutor in Bexar County, Texas between 2012 and 2013. I was placed in a court that focused exclusively on domestic violence cases and I was lucky enough to have Kirsta Melton as my supervising attorney. I think it’s important to point out that at this time Kirsta wasn’t just supervising and teaching new attorneys; she was also actively prosecuting complex, challenging cases of her own. It would have been easy to neglect us with all the demands on your time and energy those cases make, but she never did. Not once.
Kirsta made it a priority to teach the people that worked under her to seek justice, to uphold the law, and to protect the community and victims. Kirsta has acted as an example for me as a person that works hard for their community, conducts themselves with honor and integrity, and as someone that you can depend on to do what is right. At this point in my career I have worked with many talented, experienced prosecutors and Kirsta still stands out as exceptional. I have no doubt that any county in Texas would be incredibly lucky to have Kirsta Melton as their elected district attorney.”
“I am proud to endorse Kirsta Melton for District Attorney of Hays County. In nearly 30 years of law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels, I have worked with many prosecutors, and I had the opportunity to work directly with Kirsta on complex human trafficking cases during her time as an Assistant District Attorney and later with the Texas Office of the Attorney General. In both roles, she consistently demonstrated exceptional preparation, sound judgment, and unwavering professionalism.
Kirsta stands among the very best prosecutors I have encountered in my career of public service. I have complete confidence in her integrity and her ability to lead with fairness, independence, and accountability. She has my full support, and beyond my professional respect for her, I believe she represents exactly the kind of principled, capable leadership that any community should expect from its District Attorney.“
“I am a 25-year victim advocate who had the privilege of working side-by-side with Kirsta Melton for 15 years at the Bexar County DA’s Office in the service of victims of child physical and sexual abuse, rape, domestic violence, murder and human trafficking -- the most vulnerable of victim populations. I was privileged to be a member of her team, sat with her during interviews, watched her daily interactions with law enforcement, victims, witnesses, her team members, defense attorneys and judges.
Even when the stakes were high and stress levels elevated during trial, she treated people with respect, kindness and compassion. When attacked by opponents, she stood her ground but continued to respond with professionalism and thoughtfulness. Kirsta led and leads by example. She doesn’t just talk the talk about valuing people; she walks the walk. She lives it.
If Hays County wants a leader who serves others with dignity and honor, vote for Kirsta Melton.“
“I am proud to endorse Kirsta Melton for Hays County District Attorney. While I typically support party-affiliated candidates, I firmly believe that justice shouldn't be partisan. The idea of having an independent serving as our DA is exactly what our county needs right now.
I have known Kirsta personally for nine years, having had the privilege of teaching both of her children. Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand just how deeply she cares about supporting and uplifting our local community. Beyond her personal character, I greatly admire her professional dedication, particularly the vital work she has done to support and advocate for survivors of assault and human trafficking.
Kirsta brings the right blend of integrity, compassion, and true independence to this role. She has my full support, and I encourage my fellow Hays County residents to vote for her.”
“I first met Kirsta in 2002, when I was a newly minted prosecutor. Over the next fourteen years, I had the privilege of watching her distinguish herself as both a formidable trial attorney and a dedicated mentor, generously guiding and shaping the next generation of prosecutors.
Her unwavering commitment to securing justice for victims of sexual violence has been both evident and inspiring. Kirsta possesses the clarity, courage, and integrity necessary to rise above politics and restore honor to the Office of the District Attorney.”
“Having worked as a Detective alongside Kirsta, I saw firsthand her commitment to justice. She didn’t just wait for a file; she partnered with me and other investigators to build ironclad cases. This is particularly important in complex human trafficking. Because of
Kirsta’s dedication to a collaborative, thorough approach, we achieved successful prosecutions in cases that directly removed dangerous individuals from our streets.
Without a doubt Kirsta is the partner law enforcement and the community at large needs in the District Attorney’s office.”
