Walt Blackman Returns to Arizona Legislature

Walt Blackman (R-7) is a multi-term Arizona Republican state-house member and U.S. Army veteran who made history in 2018 by becoming the first Black Republican elected to the Arizona Legislature. Blackman recently navigated a brutal primary, receiving approximately 27.4% of the vote, placing him ahead of four other candidates and securing the Republican nomination. Incumbent Representative David Marshall followed closely with about 24.8%, while Steven Slaton, Andrew Costanzo, and John Fillmore received 14.1%, 13.0%, and 13.0% of the votes, respectively. Following his primary success, Blackman won in the general election of November 5, 2024, and will return to the legislature on January 13, 2025.

In a recent interview with The Arizona Globe, Blackman outlined his legislative priorities for his district. One of his key focuses is to increase the number of Childcare Development Centers in rural Arizona, which he noted currently lacks sufficient facilities. He stated, “We have almost no child care development centers,” emphasizing his commitment to establishing a fund to create more centers. He also highlighted the importance of this initiative in breaking the cycle of poverty, explaining that the lack of childcare options restricts parents’ ability to work, impacting their income and economic stability.

Throughout his political career, Blackman has also advocated for criminal justice reform, emphasizing the importance of helping former inmates transition back into society. He clarified that the goal is not to secure their early release but to assist them once released. This support includes basic needs such as obtaining a driver’s license, developing workforce skills, accessing Medicaid, and acquiring new skills. Blackman added, “We want to make sure that they aren’t set up to fail.”

While these issues may not align with traditional Republican agendas, Blackman pointed out, “If we do these things right, we won’t pay more money later on.” He highlighted that it costs $26,000 to house an inmate for a year, compared to just $10,000 to rehabilitate them. He emphasized that rehabilitating inmates makes more sense than reincarcerating them, as it is more fiscally advantageous.

In Legislative District 7 (LD7), Blackman noted, “We are seeing more Indigenous people outside the reservation being incarcerated.” He stated that alcohol and substance abuse appears to be disproportionately high among this population. Navajo County ranks among the poorest counties in Arizona, partly due to industries choosing to concentrate in Maricopa or other areas and not in Navajo County.

Blackman has also expressed interest in responsibly balancing the budget. He will serve as the chair of the Government Committee and as a member of. He aims to streamline government processes, make them user-friendly, and eliminate government functions that do not work as intended.

Finally, when discussing the trend of cities raising taxes this fiscal year, Blackman stated he did not want to interfere with “city business.” However, he does want to provide cities with resources so they won’t need to raise taxes. Furthermore, he said, “If a city is raising taxes, they need to make it clear to the taxpayers in that city why they are raising taxes.” Blackman firmly stated that he is against any tax hike, adding, “At the state level, our responsibility is to ensure we aren’t passing bills that will require cities to raise taxes.”

Blackman recently announced his initiative entitled “Arizona Law on Protecting Public Trust and Office Integrity,” on X. If passed, it would require background checks and disqualify anyone convicted of a moral turpitude crime from holding office.

I am proud to introduce the Arizona Law on Protecting Public Trust and Office Integrity, ensuring only ethical individuals serve in public office.

Key Highlights:
•Disqualifies individuals convicted of crimes like fraud, embezzlement, violent crimes, or domestic violence.… pic.twitter.com/fTYEVBey4v

— Walt Blackman LD7 Representative (Elect) (@BlackmanForAZ) December 8, 2024

The announcement received immediate concern from average citizens and conservative radio host Garrett Lewis, who stated, “Trump was convicted.” Lewis expressed worry that the law could be “weaponized to go after people.” Another individual commented, “Let us, the people of Arizona, decide. Any candidate should have to make their prior convictions public, and we can decide at the polls if we want them to run.”

It is unclear whether the bill will exclude individuals arrested on January 6 or alternate electors from holding office.

The Globe will continue tracking his progress as Blackman prepares to rejoin the Arizona House of Representatives.