Written by Julianne Foster
Melanie Burkholder is the Republican Party of San Diego County’s endorsed candidate for State Assembly District 76.
Burkholder studied at the University of Memphis, where she earned her master’s degree in Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research. She also received a Ph.D. in Clinical Christian Counseling from the International Institute of Christian Counselors. She then spent several years working as a licensed mental health counselor before she being recruited into the Secret Service.
For almost six years she worked as a decorated Special Agent with duties including protection of the president, vice president and many foreign dignitaries. Her investigations led to several commendations as well as numerous convictions for identity theft, fraud, money laundering, and counterfeiting. Her service came to a close when she stepped down to focus on raising her two children.
Burkholder is a proud wife and mother, serving in her community and church while also owning and operating a successful counseling practice in Carlsbad. She is a member of the Carlsbad Republican Women Federated, Cheerleading Coordinator at Friday Night Lights, the PTA at Magnolia Elementary and Valley, and the Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary. She was previously Webelos Leader with Cub Pack 740 in Carlsbad.
Her service as a secret agent has given her leadership skills to take action in the best interests of San Diegans. Burkholder’s roles as a mother and counselor give her a passion and understanding for the importance of parental rights and quality education for their children. She is a strong believer that parents hold the right to intervene and be heard by politicians when the well-being of their children is at risk. She has already taken an active role in this by winning a fight to ban toxic pesticides on school fields without costing her community any additional tax dollars.
Burkholder fundamentally believes that the government has a purpose, and when done right can lead to people having affordable housing, less road congestion, great education for students, as well as minimal crime and homelessness. These are issues she has identified in communities and is prepared to address them with solutions that many current politicians refuse to even consider. Within the state government, Sacramento politicians and special interests do not correspond with the needs of Californians and instead continue to waste taxpayers dollars on new laws that further restrict freedoms and opportunities.
“As your Assemblywoman, I will focus on… the problems that are undermining our quality of life and making it difficult for us, and our kids, to live and work here. That means actually listening to everyday people, and the people who work in these fields, and actually acting rather than talking in circles for years,” said Burkholder. “It means having the guts to actually stand up to the big-money special interests that profit from these problems. In the Secret Service, I was in a few tough spots… standing up to those special interests and lobbyists doesn’t scare me!”
Burkholder is endorsed by California Republican Party, California Women’s Leadership Association PAC, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, Southern California Rental Housing Association, State Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove, San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, former Congressman Darrell Issa, and many more.
For more information about Melanie Burkholder’s campaign for State Assembly District 76, visit MelanieForAssembly.com.
