579 Folly Road, P.O. Box 12242 Charleston SC, 29422
- ISLAND STRONG - VETERAN
Lifelong Local. Veteran. Fighting For YOUR Roads, Rights & Rivers!
🏝️ Protecting What Makes Our Islands Home 🏝️
🏝️ Roads. Rights. Rivers. 🏝️
Fix the Roads. Restore the Rights. Protect the Rivers.
Empowering Our People.
Safer Roads • Fairer Courts • Cleaner Water • A Better South Carolina
Victory Through Persistence —
Bringing South Carolina Out of the Back Woods.
👋 Meet Carlton Walker
A Lifelong Islander, Veteran, and Neighbor Who’s Never Stopped Working for His Community
I’m Carlton Walker — raised on the five islands of James, Johns, Folly, Kiawah, and Seabrook, where my family has lived in SC since before the American Revolution. I’m a fourth-generation U.S. veteran and the descendant of a Revolutionary War fighter from 1776 who helped secure the very freedoms we still defend today.
Well, we HAVE LOST some of those FREEDOMS TODAY — and I’m here to FIGHT to RESTORE THEM for TOMORROW!
I’ve spent my life serving and working for the people of these islands — restoring homes, rebuilding neighborhoods, and helping local families.
From my first job while at James Island High School as a maintenanceman at the Folly Beach County Park, to serving in the U.S. Navy on the Flight Deck of the USS WASP, bussing tables at Bohicket Marina between Kiawah and Seabrook, to working Maintenance with Fred Holland Realty on Folly, and I’ve always worked with my hands and for my neighbors.
While studying at the College of Charleston as a Theater major with set design and screenwriting, I sold over $700,000 of Cutco knives, learning early the value of hard work, discipline, and connecting with people.
After the Navy and College, I built my career here at home as a licensed contractor, now leading restoration and projects across all five islands and the lowcountry.
I’m running because I love this place, and I believe in responsible growth that preserves what makes each of our islands special — our trees, our waterways, our history, and our community. I still remember when it took an hour and a half just to get from Fort Johnson Road to downtown Charleston during morning traffic on Harbor View Road — and we’re still facing those same problems today.
That’s why I’m fighting for:
- Better Roads — smarter infrastructure and local control.
- Stronger Rights — real judicial reform that protects families.
- Cleaner Rivers — responsible development and water protection.
Because our home deserves more than slogans — it deserves results, rooted in experience and love for this community.
I’m running for South Carolina House District 115 to bring accountability, transparency, and common sense back to state government — and to make sure the voices of our 5 islands are finally heard in Columbia.
🚧 1.) Infrastructure: Fixing Roads the Right Way
CARLTON WILL FIGHT TO GIVE OUR ROADS BACK TO LOCAL CONTROL!
South Carolina’s roads are outdated and mismanaged. SCDOT owns 66% of our roads, or 41,000 miles out of 60,000 miles leaving local governments powerless to fix local problems. I was always taught if you want to be succesful, find someone who is where you want to be, find out what they did and do it. Well, Florida has a better road plan than SC. I am the only candidate that has actual experience building and resurfacing roads in this race.
I’ll fight to:
- Return 54% of SCDOT roads, that's 33,800 miles — and the funding — back to local municipalities. Let local contractors fix the roads through the municipalities at a better and lower cost. (Exclude me on that, Conflict of Interest when elected.)
- You pull building permits from your local town or city, not from Columbia — so why should you have to ask SCDOT to fix your local roads? It should be the same municipalities handling road repairs, not the state. Local roads deserve local control, NOT STATE CONTROL!
- A prime example: In 2024, SCDOT held a public meeting where the Mayor of Goose Creek revealed they spent $1 million on a sidewalk project with no curbs or gutters—just 3 feet wide and a quarter-mile long through the dirt. As a contractor, I did the math: that’s less than $20,000 in concrete. Local contractors could have completed the entire job for under $100,000, meaning taxpayers overpaid by about $900,000. Giving projects back to local contractors keeps costs down and dollars in our local communities. PUT THE MONEY BACK INTO LOCAL JOBS.
- SC NEEDS TO FOLLOW the Florida model, where the state of FL only owns 12% of roads, which include major highways and bridges, and locals handle the rest. SC DOT on the FL Plan should only own 7,200 miles and not 41,000 miles out of 60,000 miles. This will save money and get local roads around the state fixed faster, 100% quaranteed.
- Ensure the Folly Road Project is done right for James Island residents.
- Keep Folly Beach just as it is — its charm, its character, its freedom.
- Keep Johns Island's farms working to make the best produce in the lowcountry.
🌊 2.) Clean Water, Clean Growth
CARLTON WILL FIGHT TO KEEP OUR WATERS CLEAN.
Our waterways define who we are — from the creeks where we crab to the ocean where our kids swim. But aging septic tanks, poor planning, and overdevelopment are polluting them.
I’ll work to:
- Protect our waterways without forcing everyone to connect to public sewer. I’m not requiring all homeowners to tap in — those with existing septic systems can keep them, but they must be properly maintained or upgraded to prevent pollution. I remember growing up on James Island, our old septic kept the grass green and swishy — until we chose to connect to the new system. The point is choice with responsibility: if you keep your septic, keep it working right. Clean water starts at home.
- South Carolina should help fund septic system upgrades for low-income residents and heirs’ property owners near our waterways. Failing septic systems pollute creeks, marshes, and seafood beds, threatening public health and our environment. Since our islands are used statewide for tourism and seafood, the state has a shared responsibility to help cover these costs as part of critical infrastructure and public works—protecting both our people and our coastal heritage.
- Maintain and modernize our public sewer system leading to Plum Island to ensure it operates safely and efficiently. We must prevent septic and sewer leaks at all costs to protect our marshes, creeks, and coastal waters — because clean water is vital to our health, seafood, and way of life on the islands.
- Protect Johns Island farms and preserve local produce for Charleston families.
- Balance smart growth so we keep the natural beauty and identity of our islands intact.
⚖️ 3.) Judicial Reform, Jury Trials, Equal Shared Parenting & Child Protection
CARLTON WILL FIGHT TO RESTORE JUSTICE AND GIVE THE POWER BACK TO THE PEOPLE.
South Carolina’s justice system is broken — run by insiders, fueled by money, and far removed from the people it’s supposed to serve.
It’s time to pull South Carolina out of the back woods and restore truth, transparency, and constitutional justice to our courts.
A.) Restoring Jury Trials: Justice by the People, Not Political Insiders
In South Carolina, you can have a jury trial for a $50 seat-belt ticket,
but not when the State — or your ex — is about to take away your child.
That’s not justice. That’s a constitutional failure.
The U.S. Constitution guarantees jury-trial rights under three separate amendments:
- The 6th Amendment — for any case where a person could face jail or loss of liberty.
- The 7th Amendment — for civil cases involving money, property, or financial penalties such as alimony, child support, and legal fees.
- The 14th Amendment — protecting parental rights, which the U.S. Supreme Court recognizes as “fundamental.”
Yet South Carolina’s family courts routinely deny these rights.
A single politically connected judge can decide whether a parent loses their children, their income, or even their freedom — with no jury and no peers to ensure fairness.
Other states, including Texas and Georgia, already guarantee jury trials in family-court cases where a parent’s rights, liberty, or major financial obligations are at stake.
There is no reason South Carolina cannot do the same.
In 2011, our own Supreme Court acknowledged this injustice in DeMarco v. DeMarco, ruling that South Carolina’s family-court system violated the Constitution by jailing parents without the option of a jury or due process protections.
More than a decade later, nothing has changed.
I will introduce legislation to guarantee jury trials in family court whenever:
- Parental rights or custody are being decided.
- A parent faces possible incarceration for contempt or unpaid support.
- Financial obligations such as child support, alimony, or attorney fees are at issue.
No one should lose their child, their freedom, or their future without the voice of the people in the room.
Justice must once again mean “by the people, for the people.”
B.) Equal Shared Parenting with Able, Willing & Fit Parents = Strong Families, Safer Communities
Children need both parents — not just one chosen by the court.
When both able, willing and fit parents stay involved, children and communities thrive.
Research proves that children with both parents involved are:
- Less likely to commit crimes or become teen parents.
- Less likely to drop out of school or turn to drugs.
- More likely to graduate, succeed, and raise strong families of their own.
Equal Shared Parenting is not partisan — it’s common sense and compassion.
I will make it the law in South Carolina so every child has the right to love and be loved by both parents.
C.) Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS): Emotional Abuse Must End
Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is emotional child abuse — when one parent manipulates a child to reject the other.
It causes lifelong trauma and destroys family bonds.
I will introduce legislation to:
- Officially recognize PAS as emotional child abuse in Family Courts in SC.
- Require training for GALs, judges, and therapists to identify and stop it.
- Hold accountable anyone who enables or ignores alienation.
South Carolina will no longer lag behind the rest of the nation — we will lead in protecting children from emotional harm.
D.) Reforming the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) System
Private Guardians ad Litem charge $85 up to $400 per hour and profit from family conflict.
That’s not justice — that’s exploitation.
I will:
- End private GAL contracting and make GALs state-employed on fixed salaries just like investigators for the police departments. If the Court needs them as eyes and ears then the Court Pays them.
- Require body cameras on GALs during all case-related duties for transparency.
- Enforce education and investigative standards so GALs are qualified public servants, not political appointees.
Families deserve fairness — not financial ruin.
E.) Ending Title IV-D Abuse
The federal Title IV-D program pays states bonuses for every dollar collected in child support.
That means South Carolina profits from broken families and putting one parent on child support
I will:
- Audit Title IV-D funding and expose how federal incentives distort custody and support rulings.
- End per-dollar bonuses that reward family separation, which causes our South Carolina children less likely to succeed.
- Redirect those funds toward mediation, counseling, and reunification programs that strengthen families.
Families are not a revenue stream. Justice should not be for sale.
F.) Protecting Children from Exploitation
Those who sexually exploit or traffic children commit an act beyond forgiveness.
I will fight to make South Carolina the toughest state in America on crimes against children by:
- Treating the most severe, confirmed cases as capital crimes.
- Allowing life imprisonment or the DEATH PENALTY for convicted predators.
- Strengthening investigations and victim-support services.
Children deserve justice that is swift, certain, and strong.
G.) Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC): End the Lawyer Monopoly
Right now, lawyers select the judges who later rule on their cases.
That’s a conflict of interest that has corrupted our justice system from the top down.
The Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) is dominated by lawyer-legislators who control who becomes a judge — and those judges later hear cases from the same lawyers who appointed them.
I will fight to:
- Remove lawyer-legislators from judicial selection.
- Create a citizen-led commission that includes veterans, educators, business owners, and community leaders.
- Require public hearings, transparency, and term limits for every judicial appointment.
While Rep. Spencer Wetmore was in office, her husband was appointed as Judge on Folly Beach. Her and other lawyer-legislators fight to keep the current insider system, I stand with the people to give the power back to the people.
Judges should serve justice, not the profession that appoints them.
CARLTON WALKER will Restore Faith in Justice
From jury trials to shared parenting, from Title IV-D reform to JMSC accountability, this is about one simple truth: returning power to the people.
When we restore transparency, we restore trust.
When we protect families, we strengthen South Carolina.
When we defend children, we secure our future.
It’s time to end insider control, end conflict for profit, and bring South Carolina out of the back woods — into an era of fairness, family, and freedom.
4.) Protecting Our Veterans and Seniors
CARLTON WILL FIGHT FOR OUR VETERANS AND SENIORS & STOP THOSE WHO GET RICH OFF OF OUR SENIORS AND VETERANS.
As a U.S. Navy veteran, I know what service means. I’ll fight to make sure every veteran and senior in South Carolina has access to affordable housing by ending property tax, affordable healthcare, and the respect they’ve earned.
🌅 For the Islands. For the Future.
From Kiawah and Seabrook's multimillion-dollar homes to Johns Island’s farmland, James Island's old school feel, the sand of Folly Beach, we share one community, one coast, and one destiny.
It’s time we fix our DAMN roads, clean our waters, reform our courts, and protect our way of life.
🗳️ Join the Movement
Victory Through Persistence starts with you.
✅ Donate Now
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Carlton at work during Combat Operations in Somalia, USS WASP 4/4/93. SEE THE SOMALIAN COASTLINE.
ENDORSED BY THESE CADETS FROM THE CITADEL below!
Service is the Walker name. Walk with Carlton and let's Fight for YOUR ROADS, RIGHTS AND RIVERS TOGETHER.
On the left stands Carlton Walker, and on the right is his father, Jay Walker a Citadel graduate class of 1969 in Electrical Engineering.
This photo captures a defining moment at The Citadel, where Carlton delivered a stirring 60-minute speech outlining his vision as your next representative and his hopes for the future of South Carolina. His words resonated deeply, inspiring these cadets to rally behind his campaign for the South Carolina State House.
🪓 CUT TAXES. FIX ROADS. BRING OUR MONEY HOME! SC HOUSE Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Banister and Carlton Walker.
Let's fight for the future with 0% income taxes in South Carolina - and we can do it with Carlton Walker in the State House, working alongside Ways & Means Chairman Bruce Bannister, the man who controls the states's purse strings.
Both Carlton and Chairman Bannister know what it takes to win — they each started by selling Cutco Cutlery, proving their determination, grit, and results-driven mindset.
Carlton sold an incredible $700,000 worth of knives across James Island, Johns Island, Folly Beach, Kiawah, and Seabrook — a record that shows his tenacity and ability to deliver big. Now imagine what he can do for our community when it comes to cutting taxes and bringing our money back home!
This unique bond between Carlton and Chairman Bannister — two “sharp guys” with a shared history and a shared vision — gives District 115 an unmatched advantage in Columbia.
✅ Lower our taxes.
✅ Bring our tax dollars back to District 115.
✅ Fix our roads.
Carlton Walker is ready to work with Republican leadership in the supermajority to deliver more for our district than any other candidate.
📖 Learn more about Chairman Bruce Bannister here:
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.php?code=0103409079
⚖️
SOUTH CAROLINA'S JUSTICE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!!
Until we change who holds power, we will never have true justice in South Carolina courts.
Right now, justice isn’t determined by what’s right — it’s determined by who’s in power.
Those with power decide what is “right,” and the people suffer under a system that protects the powerful instead of the innocent.
Until we elect leaders with the courage to call out corruption and hold the powerful accountable, the system will never change.
Carlton Walker is the only candidate in this race who has proven he has that courage — to stand up, speak out, and fight for justice no matter who stands in the way.
If we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we’ll keep getting what we’ve got:
a broken, biased, and corrupt justice system.
🗳️ Vote Carlton Walker — the voice for real reform and accountability in Columbia.
Together, we can rebuild a justice system that serves the people, not the powerful.
Thrasymachus - What is justice? Whoever holds the power.
The philosopher Thrasymachus once declared that those in power define what is just. Look around — does our justice system today truly reflect fairness, accountability, and equity for everyday South Carolinians?
Carlton Walker doesn’t think so. That’s why he’s running: to shift power away from the self-serving political class and return it to the people. To stand up for the working class, for families, and for the values that built this great state.
If we’re serious about fixing our broken judicial system, we can’t keep electing the same kind of politicians. We deserve better — a system that serves everyone, not just the connected and powerful.
This is our moment. Our chance to demand real justice, real accountability, and a government that finally works for all of us.
Let’s make it happen — together.
USS WASP Somalia - 1993
Carlton has a remarkable background having served under General Colin Powell in Somalia as an Aviation Boatswain's Mate Blue Shirt for the Navy. He worked on the Flight Deck and Hanger Bay, which is considered the second most dangerous job in the Navy.
THE AVIATION BOATSWAIN’S MATE INSIGNIA: anchors & Wings
Our insignia — crossed anchors with wings — has symbolized gallantry, teamwork, and unwavering dedication for nearly eighty years. Many outstanding ABs have given their limbs, and too many their lives, performing the dangerous, heroic work of the flight deck.
Let me break it down for you:
The anchor — heavy, steadfast, reliable — holds the ship in place against the tides. A single, well-trained AB is an anchor: securing aircraft on deck, fueling and defueling, directing the dance of jets and helicopters, salvaging damaged planes, operating arresting gear, or launching aircraft from catapults.
But our insignia bears two anchors. Why? Because we can’t do it alone. We rely on each other. We learn from each other. We watch out for each other. Like a symphony, we come together — each playing our part in the grand, dangerous, and beautiful performance of carrier operations. We see one another at our best and our worst. We push and test each other, and though we rarely say it aloud, we love and respect each other deeply. Like those crossed anchors, our souls are forever bonded in friendship, forged in fire and saltwater.
And then — the wings. At first glance, wings on anchors may seem unnecessary, even impossible. Anchors are meant to hold fast; wings are meant to soar. But that is exactly who we are. ABs have the strength to bear the impossible and the determination to rise anyway — to carry the weight and still take flight, no matter the sacrifice.
Those sacrifices are many — and too often overlooked.
Remember the old saying: When a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. On our ships, when the bell sounds, it marks another moment when ABs have sacrificed — through skill, grit, and sheer willpower — and earned their wings.
The wings on our insignia remind us that we have not only anchored the mission here on earth, but we have also earned our place in heaven.
We are ABs. Anchors and wings. Strong enough to hold, strong enough to fly.
USS Wasp — Somalia, 1993, around 0200, the call came over the ship’s speakers: “Flight quarters, flight quarters — all hands man your stations." Chief ABH, "We have a downed bird! Our Marines are down."
During his time, Carlton was part of a flight deck team that had to recover a Marine helicopter H-46, like the one pictured above, that was shot down during the Somalia mission in 1993. Along with another Airedale, Carlton was chosen by his Chief to recover the destroyed H-46 back on deck while his Chief directed the H-53 carrying the destroyed aircraft.
Recently a US Marine F35 Pilot from Beaufort SC Marine Air Station told Carlton that this incident his was in is now a training video. If anyone can get a copy of this training video of this incident on board the USS WASP from April 1993 that would be great to see.
Carlton's bravery and dedication to his country are a testament to his character and leadership skills. These qualities will be valuable in his new role as the SC State House Representative for District 115.
Carlton lives by the motto, "Don't tell me how ROCKY the SEA is, just BRING THE DAMN SHIP IN!" He will use this same attitude to make sure District 115 always gets what it needs from our state government.
At the James Island Lowe’s, Carlton Walker met a disabled veteran who recalls their time serving aboard the USS Wasp during the Somalia H-46 helicopter recovery mission. Two James Island locals, who once served side by side overseas, reunited years later at home — a reminder that service, sacrifice, and community never fade.
At the James Island Lowe’s, Carlton came face-to-face with a shipmate he served alongside aboard the USS Wasp during the Somalia mission in 1993 — a disabled veteran, now working retail to get by.
In that moment, memories of sacrifice, danger, and brotherhood came flooding back — a bond forged on the flight deck, while their ship was in combat and under fire, in service to South Carolina and the United States.
But what struck Carlton even more was the bitter truth: they both risked their lives to defend the Constitution — yet today, South Carolina’s family court system tramples the very rights they fought for.
The 6th, 7th, and 14th Amendments — promises of fairness, due process, and equal protection — ignored by the very government they risked their lives, their Marines and Army bled and died for.
That injustice fuels Carlton’s campaign. Because no veteran — no citizen — should sacrifice everything overseas only to come home and find their rights discarded in their own state.
It’s time to stand up, take back our courts, and hold this broken system accountable.
Support Carlton Walker — because the fight for justice isn’t over.
Carlton has been fighting for YOUR rights — Did you know?
Are you ready to stand with him, too?
Carlton had the privilege of standing at a press conference with South Carolina House members and advocates from around the country, speaking up for those who suffer silently — our seniors, cancer patients, veterans, and those in hospice — including his own family.
This issue is deeply personal to Carlton. His sister, battling cancer, was forced to turn to the black market for medical cannabis just to ease her pain in her final days — risking her safety and dignity because the law gave her no legal option. Carlton watched her suffer, and he’ll never forget the injustice of it.
Now, his father — a proud veteran still serving his community even as he battles cancer himself — faces the same reality. The same broken system that failed Carlton’s sister continues to fail thousands of South Carolinians every day.
Carlton spoke that day for his sister, for his father, and for every family who has watched a loved one suffer needlessly. Medical cannabis isn’t about politics — it’s about compassion. It’s about giving people the choice to find comfort and dignity in their hardest moments, without fear or shame.
Carlton will fight to make sure no one else’s sister, no one else’s father, has to endure what his family has endured. He is committed to building a South Carolina where humanity comes before hypocrisy, and where we honor the dignity of every life.
Carlton traveled to Miami to meet with the Dr. that wrote Florida's Law.
Dr. Block, the physician responsible for drafting Florida’s medical cannabis legislation, generously shared his expertise with Carlton. Carlton had the distinct honor of meeting with him to discuss how best to develop and implement sound medical cannabis policies for South Carolina.
Anyone who has followed the fight for medical cannabis laws knows these two champions: Dr. Block, who successfully authored Florida’s groundbreaking legislation, and Jill Swing, who has spent over a decade courageously advocating to bring compassionate care cannabis to the patients of South Carolina. Their dedication is a testament to what’s possible when we put people over politics.
Here are just a few examples of the incredible plants Dr. Block has developed — each one a reflection of his vision, expertise, and dedication to healing. To see more from Carlton’s visit and these remarkable creations, check out his Facebook album: L. Carlton Walker-Cross. These innovations are paving the way for a more compassionate future — take a look and be inspired! https://www.facebook.com
Dr. Block is so respected in Florida that he helps welcome new physicians into the profession, presenting degrees, quoting Hippocrates — “Nature itself is the best physician” — and leading the Oath of Medicine at the University of Miami. Carlton had the privilege of learning from him, drawing inspiration from his wisdom and dedication to compassionate care, which continues to inspire his own effor
From his military service, Carlton learned the importance of attention to detail and mastering every issue before taking action — a discipline he’s ready to bring to the State House. Just as he sat with Dr. Block to tackle medical cannabis policy, Carlton is eager to sit at your kitchen table here on the islands, hear your priorities, and fight alongside you to protect our home, improve our laws,
A few pictures.
Carlton and his father, Jay Walker, are at the James Island Yacht Club, where the Walker family has been members since 1974.
Two Local Charleston guys, years ago.
Carlton with the Latin Exchange Club
Carlton with a bunch ov Veterans!
Carlton Walker accepting awards as the Charleston Cutco District manager 2001. 283 Students worked for Carlton that summer.
Cutco $700.000!
Honoring Veterans!
Charleston City Councilman and Medal of Honor hero at the Medal of Honor Museum.
Heading to Columbia, South Carolina!!, SC
Speaking for Our Rights in Columbia, SC.
Carlton Walker's #1 motivation - his daughter and Our Children's future!
Father’s Day 2015: After the tragic loss of the Charleston 9, Carlton Walker carried his daughter to the top of the Ravenel Bridge.
Father’s Day – June 21, 2015: Thousands gathered beneath and upon the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston to stand united against the racist hatred that took the lives of the Emanuel Nine, nine innocent people who opened their church doors in love and faith. Carlton Walker was among them, carrying his young daughter to the top of the bridge to teach her that racism is wrong and that love, courage, and u
Father’s Day 2015: After the tragic loss of the Charleston 9, Carlton Walker carried his daughter to the top of the Ravenel Bridge, teaching her that racism is wrong and that love and unity are stronger than hate. It was a powerful moment of healing and a lesson in hope, courage, and compassion — values Carlton continues to carry into his service and leadership today.
A picture speaks a thousand words.
When you need help, it doesn’t matter what color your skin is.
Children aren’t born with hate — they’re taught it. On that Father’s Day in 2015, I made sure my daughter understood that what happened in Charleston was wrong, and that love, compassion, and unity must always be stronger than racism and division.