SPOTLIGHT RACE: Clay Middleton for SC-HD116

Clay sees a common thread in his life’s work: cultivation. Cultivating People, Solutions, and Results. A native of the Lowcountry, Clay is a father, husband, combat veteran, and servant leader. He grew up in Bayside Manor (now Bridgeview Village Apartments) in downtown Charleston, with roots extending across the Lowcountry, including Johns and Wadmalaw Islands.

Clay graduated from Burke High School and enrolled at The Citadel in 1999. While at The Citadel, he joined the South Carolina Army National Guard as a Private First Class on January 6, 2000. Upon graduating in 2003 with a degree in political science, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Signal Corps.

A combat veteran and Lieutenant Colonel, Clay serves as a Battalion Commander in the South Carolina Army National Guard and as a Managing Director at Mercury, a global public strategy firm. In addition to his degrees at The Citadel, Clay is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College and is currently in his final year of study at the United States Army War College. In addition to his combat and operational experiences during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Jump Start, and Operation Atlantic Resolve, Clay has mobilized for several state active-duty missions ​​and served on the South Carolina National Guard Association Executive Council.

For his leadership and experience, President Barack Obama appointed Clay to serve the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Corporation for National and Community Service, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the National Nuclear Security Administration. Clay also served as a long-time aide to Congressman Jim Clyburn, worked on the Biden-Harris Transition Team, and held senior roles with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Cory Booker. He also served as the Director of Business Services for the City of Charleston, leading the Business & Neighborhood Services division.

Clay’s record of community, civic engagement, and public service has no boundaries, reflecting his belief that “to whom much is given, much is required.” Along with his wife Nicole, they established the Clay and Nicole Middleton Family Fund, C Student to C Suite, at the Coastal Community Foundation to provide need-based scholarships to local graduating high school students pursuing higher education.

Clay is a member of The Citadel Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Charleston Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Gothic Lodge #212 F&AM, and St. Luke R.E. Church. He is active in several organizations and serves on the Board of Directors of organizations dedicated to mentoring youth, providing access to capital for small business owners, supporting affordable housing initiatives, and providing essential services to veterans, military families, our seniors, and young people across the Lowcountry. His leadership and selfless service have earned him numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career, including the Bronze Star Medal.

Clay and Nicole live in Carolina Bay, in West Ashley, with their two energetic sons, Jeremiah and Joshua.




https://www.claymiddleton.com/