579 Folly Road, P.O. Box 12242 Charleston SC, 29422
The island life we want to preserve.
Carlton grew up in Clearview on Beauregard Street in a brick ranch. Nothing fancy, Pluff mud & fish.
**THE LIFE OF CARLTON WALKER
A Legacy Built by the Five Islands**
Carlton Walker’s story is impossible to separate from the Five Islands — James, Johns, Folly, Kiawah, and Seabrook — the places that raised him, shaped him, and prepared him for a lifetime of leadership and service. His journey begins at Stiles Point Elementary, where he spent first through fifth grade, his afternoons in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and his summers at Camp Ho Non Wah on Wadmalaw Island. He continued to James Island Middle School (now Camp Road Elementary) and remained an active member of Nativity Catholic Church, where he still attends today with his parents.
He spent summers at Camp St. Christopher on Seabrook Island, cultivating a love for nature and the water. After seventh grade at Nativity School and ninth grade at James Island High School, Carlton discovered what would become a lifelong passion: surfing.
Surfing, Sailing & Growing Up on the Water
By age 12 or 13, Carlton was fully immersed in the Lowcountry surf culture. When he earned his driver’s license, he bought the legendary 1961 light-blue Corvair station wagon — complete with paisley curtains, surf racks, and Grateful Dead stickers. Anyone who attended James Island High in the late ’80s remembers the car they called “Beater.” After school, Carlton and his friends piled into Beater and headed straight to Folly Beach — 12th Street, the Washout, or wherever the waves were rolling.
Dawn patrol became sacred. Carlton often paddled out before sunrise, when the wind was asleep and the waves were glassy, watching the sky explode with color over the Washout. Those mornings taught him patience, discipline, and a connection to the islands that still guides him.
His ties to the water only grew through the James Island Yacht Club, where his parents have been members since 1974 — back when it was a modest family club of jon boats, small sailboats, fishing skiffs, and the best sunset view in Charleston. Carlton first stepped onto a sailboat at age five and attended every sailing camp he could under the guidance of the iconic instructor Stella.
Today he still participates in Yacht Club traditions, including serving on the Committee Boat for kids’ Opti races — waving the starting flag and passing the torch to a new generation of island sailors.
Work, Discipline & Military Service
Carlton’s first job was at Folly Beach County Park, where he chose to be the maintenance man — not a lifeguard — because the maintenance role meant driving a Jeep pickup on the beach, caring for the shoreline he loved. It was humble work that instilled a lasting sense of responsibility.
By 11th grade, Carlton was enjoying high school a little too much, so his parents enrolled him in Camden Military Academy, where he embraced structure, leadership, and achievement. He graduated with discipline and direction.
When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, Carlton felt called to serve. In February 1991, he enlisted in the United States Navy. In boot camp, he rose to Section Leader, responsible for 12 recruits, and his division — C-125 — earned the Commanding Officer’s White Flag of Excellence for top performance.
Somalia — A Mission Few Forget
During the Somalia conflict, Carlton experienced one of the defining moments of his life.
At 2 AM, a Marine H-46 helicopter was shot down. His ship immediately launched:
- Three CH-53 helicopters, each carrying 20 Marines
- Sea Cobra gunships to secure the crash site
The pilots were evacuated with compressed spinal injuries, and the door gunners survived unharmed.
At sunrise, the recovery mission began. Carlton’s chief selected only two blue-shirts he trusted to bring the downed helicopter aboard — and Carlton was one of them. The mission was dangerous, precise, and unforgettable.
Years later, Carlton unexpectedly reunited with a shipmate from that mission at Lowe’s on James Island. Their emotional reunion — captured on video and available under the Veterans & Military tab on VoteCarltonWalker.com — remains a testament to the lifelong bonds forged in service.
Returning Home, College & New Beginnings
After the Navy, Carlton returned home to the islands and took a job bussing tables at The Privateer Restaurant between Kiawah and Seabrook. Soon after, he enrolled at the College of Charleston, where he majored in Theatre, studying set design, stagecraft, and building theatrical sets.
Those long nights in the scene shop — cutting lumber, designing stages, creating structures from scratch — became the foundation for both his creative eye and his hands-on building expertise.
This unique blend of artistic vision and construction skill would shape the next chapter of his life.
Everything shifted when he answered a small newspaper ad:
“Selling knives — CUTCO.”
CUTCO — Leadership, Mentorship & a Record-Breaking Career
Carlton quickly became one of the top CUTCO representatives in the Southeast, eventually selling over $700,000 in cutlery and earning induction into the CUTCO Hall of Fame.
As a district manager, he recruited 283 college students in one summer and led his office to $240,000 in sales in just four months.
Two of his recruits went on to become local leaders:
- Jenny Costa Honeycutt, Charleston County Councilwoman
- Raymond Owens, longtime News 2 journalist
Dozens more still stop Carlton across Charleston to thank him for the confidence, communication skills, and life lessons they gained.
Because selling CUTCO isn’t about knives — it’s about building people.
Construction, Business & Community Service
After CUTCO, Carlton transitioned full-time into construction and renovation, building homes and restoring structures across the islands. He founded Golden Property Renovations and Hurry Up Handyman, becoming a trusted small-business owner and community partner.
His College of Charleston Theatre background gave him the ability to design spaces, while his years of hands-on work led him to earn his South Carolina Residential Builder’s License — allowing him to renovate homes and protect the architectural and environmental integrity of the islands.
Carlton understands both sides of the development debate:
- the homeowner
- the builder
- the environmental impact
- the need for responsible growth
He believes the islands must be preserved for generations to come, with smarter planning, clean water, protected trees, and development that respects the soul of the Lowcountry.
A Fighter for Judicial Reform — Roads, Rights & Rivers
Carlton’s experience navigating the Family Court system opened his eyes to deep structural failures. He became one of South Carolina’s strongest advocates for:
- Jury trials in Family Court
- Transparency for Guardians ad Litem
- Ending lawyer-legislator control of judges
- Independent oversight of the JMSC
- Fair, financially balanced support systems for working parents
He met with lawmakers, attended hearings, and stood up even when standing alone. His mission has never been political — it’s been about fairness, accountability, and protecting families.
**Running for SC House District 115 —
For the Islands. For the Future.**
Today, Carlton is running for the South Carolina House of Representatives, District 115, with a mission rooted in the places that raised him:
Roads, Rights & Rivers
He is the only candidate who:
- Was born and raised on the Five Islands
- Surfed, sailed, worked, lived, and served here
- Is a Navy veteran with real leadership experience
- Built multiple businesses from scratch
- Holds a Residential Builder’s License and understands smart, responsible growth
- Fought broken systems to protect families
- Knows our roads, waterways, and neighborhoods from the inside out
Carlton isn’t backed by developers.
He isn’t controlled by insiders.
He answers only to the people of James, Johns, Folly, Kiawah & Seabrook.
He’s running because the islands deserve what he had growing up:
clean water, safe roads, strong rights, honest government, and a future worthy of our children.
Learn More
This is a content preview space you can use to get your audience interested in what you have to say so they can’t wait to learn and read more. Pull out the most interesting detail that appears on the page and write it here.
CUTCO
Carlton Walker is a record-setting Cutco representative and has received multiple trophies from Cutco.
Chairman Bruce and Carlton Sold CUTCO in College!
🪓 CUT TAXES. FIX ROADS. BRING OUR MONEY HOME TO THE 5 ISLANDS! PICTURED IS SC HOUSE Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Banister and Carlton Walker.
Let’s fight for a future with 0% state income tax 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 STATE'S PURSE STRINGS!
What do Carlton and Chairman Bannister have in common?
They both started their careers selling Cutco Cutlery — and anyone who’s ever knocked doors selling knives knows it takes grit, hustle, and relentless follow-through to succeed.
REMEMBER THE LINE?
“Knock knock… I’ve got rope, leather, and knives — can I come in?”
And if you bought Cutco, DO YOU STILL HAVE ALL OF YOUR FINGERS? LOL! 😄
Carlton sold an extraordinary $700,000 worth of Cutco and in 2007 he was Inducted into the CUTCO HALL OF FAME! He sold CUTCO across James Island, Johns Island, Folly Beach, Kiawah, and Seabrook — a record that proves his tenacity and ability to deliver results.
Now imagine what CARLTON WALKER will deliver for our community when IT"S TIME TO CUT TAXES AND BRING OUR MONEY BACK HOME!
This unique bond between Carlton and Chairman Bannister — two sharp guys with a shared history and a shared mission — gives District 115 a powerful advantage in Columbia.
Carlton’s Commitment to the Five Islands
✅ Lower the tax burden.
✅ Bring our tax dollars back to JAMES, JOHNS, FOLLY BEACH, KIAWAH & SEABROOK!
✅ FIX OUR ROADS with local control and accountability.
With a Republican supermajority, Carlton Walker is ready to work with leadership — not against it — to deliver more for our district than any other candidate on the ballot.
📖 Learn more about Chairman Bruce Bannister:
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.php?code=0103409079
VOTE CARLTON WALKER - JUNE 9, 2026
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!!
Speaking for Our Rights in Columbia, SC.