Born in Columbia, Mississippi, he attended Texas A&M University and served in the United States Coast Guard during the Korean War, earning a Silver Lifesaving Medal for helping rescue crewmen from a sinking tanker.

A member of the Republican Party, he became involved in politics in the 1960s, making two unsuccessful bids for a seat in the Mississippi State Legislature.

[1] While serving at the rank of ensign in 1952, he participated in the rescue of crewmen from the sinking tanker SS Fort Mercer off the coast of Cape Cod, when the ship broke apart in a storm.

He commanded a boat which retrieved two men off of the ship's bow, and for his efforts was awarded a Silver Lifesaving Medal for "heroic action".

[5] He sold his dealerships in Meridian upon his appointment to the Federal Railroad Administration, but retained their buildings and later used them as he became involved in his son's commercial real estate company, Missouth Properties.

[7] He became involved in politics in the 1960s, making two unsuccessful bids for a seat in the Mississippi State Legislature[3] and chairing Rubel Phillips's 1963 gubernatorial campaign organization in Lauderdale County.

A group of Mississippi Republicans felt that Meredith was not a strong enough contender and did not want the party to become associated with another black candidate, and recruited Carmichael to run instead.

President Richard Nixon, though a Republican, wanted to maintain good relations with Eastland so as to ease his political interests in the federal government.

[7] When Vice President Spiro Agnew traveled to Mississippi to host a rally, he was instructed to specifically not invite Carmichael.

[14] He supported the creation of a new state constitution, the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, the supply of federal financial aid to New York City, gun registration,[15] reduced penalties for marijuana possession, and mandatory school attendance for children.

[18] Carmichael ultimately lost but drew 47 percent of the vote, a high figure for a statewide Republican candidate at that time.

Finch's administration had been plagued by corruption scandals, and he hoped to exude a moderate and professional image which Mississippians would find attractive.

Harmed by his divisive primary, Carmichael trailed Winter in polls and lost the general election, carrying a majority of the votes in only three counties.

[26] Making an appeal to rewrite the state constitution the centerpiece of his campaign,[27] he took only 35.7 percent of the vote,[26] losing to Brad Dye.

[3] In 1973 Carmichael was appointed to the National Highway Safety Advisory Committee as a consolation for the Nixon administration's lack of support for him in the 1972 Senate race.