“Lot’s Done, More to Do!” declared Assistant Criminal District Attorney Landon Campbell as he formally filed for the position of Criminal District Attorney for Hays County. Campbell, who is running to succeed his elected boss — Kelly Higgins, currently serves as Division Chief for the Misdemeanor and Specialty Courts Division, after working in every division in the office since 2018.
As he filed to run in the Democratic Primary, Campbell said that the Hays County Criminal District Attorney’s office had secured key reforms for the local criminal justice system but still had a long distance to go, according to a press release issued by the Campbell campaign.
“In the past three years, we have put meaningless talk aside and worked tirelessly for our neighbors here in Hays County — and we have achieved real results!” said Campbell. “From devastating a backlog of unfiled cases to investing fully in our diversion courts and programs to bringing on family justice, mental health, and environmental enforcement divisions, we are showing that local government can work when we get down to business!”
During the past three years, the Hays County Criminal District Attorney’s office has: - Cut a backlog of over 5,600 cases by nearly 70%, providing clarity and relief for real defendants and victims.
- Invested in the Mental Health Court, collaborating with Judge Elaine Brown to increase the number of participants ten-fold and expanding the Court to felony cases.
- Implemented a Pre-Trial Diversion Program, providing a cost-minimal diversion for low-level cases out-of-court for hundreds of criminal defendants.
- Initiated a Family Justice Unit, providing specialization for the investigation and prosecution of crimes against children and high-risk intimate partner violence.
- Hired a Mental Health Attorney, focusing on the rapidly evolving intersection of criminal justice and mental health.
- Instituted an Environmental Enforcement Unit, ensuring that the massive growth in Hays County is balanced with the protection of our land and resources.
- Combined with the former General Counsel’s Office, eliminating redundancies in the county-wide civil legal representation to save taxpayer dollars.
- Invested in new victim services programs, addressing high-risk violent crime victims and implementing safety-planning for particularly vulnerable victims.
- Established a diversion program for lowlevel DWI offenses, requiring compliance with strenuous conditions designed to reduce recidivism and promote public safety.
- Revamped protective order services, changing procedures and focus to produce an eleven-fold increase in the number of protective orders granted for victims.
- Established an Appellate Division and Conviction Integrity Review Process, professionalizing appellate representation and guaranteeing that past criminal cases were prosecuted appropriately.
Campbell is proud of, but not satisfied with, these accomplishments: “As my single mom would tell me, ‘What we did yesterday only matters because of the drive it gives us to work harder tomorrow.’” According to the press release, going forward, Campbell aims to: - Double Down on Diversion: Expanding the courts and programs that we do have and adding new courts with new focusses, like intense substance- abuse disorders.
- Invest in our People and Infrastructure: Investing in additional training and technology for staff to meet the challenges of prosecution in the 2030s. In addition, managing an office that is physically bursting at the seams, and innovating solutions to meet the space constraints of a booming but cost-conscious county.
- Focus on Victim Crimes: Continuing to develop and invest in our victim services division, Family Justice division, and protective order process.
- Fight for our Community: Utilizing our civil representation to pursue strategies utilized in counties like Harris to fight back against overreach by Austin, Washington D.C., and Big Business.
Campbell’s filing wrapped up the initial stages of a campaign that first kicked off in late August after current Criminal District Attorney Higgins announced that he would not be running for re-election.
“After Kelly [Higgins] made clear that he wanted me to succeed him, the decision to run was heavy but pretty straightforward, I love the office and I will work every day to make sure that it succeeds for all of my neighbors in Hays County,” Campbell explained.
Campbell’s campaign has been met with approval by many in the local legal community. Prominent local attorney Tony Fusco noted that, “With a deep understanding of the law and proven record of integrity, Landon will bring balanced, effective leadership to the office.”
Similarly, local attorney and former Texas Democratic Party Chairman Charles Soechting summarily declared, “Landon Campbell has been one of those prosecutors that simply has made everyone’s life better.”
Election day for the Democratic Primary will be March 3, 2026.
Photos courtesy of Campbell campaign
