State Representative District 7 in Arizona State House District 7, Arizona

2026 Primary Election

• Walter "walt" Blackman — Incumbent State Representative in Snowflake, AZ

  Walter "Walt" Blackman is an incumbent Republican Arizona State Representative for District 7, having previously served District 6. A decorated U.S. Army combat veteran, he served 21 years as a tank commander, earning a Bronze Star for combat action in Iraq. Blackman was the first Black Republican elected to the Arizona State Legislature. Prior to his political career, he founded an inclusion and diversity consulting firm in Snowflake. He is seeking re-election, motivated by a desire to prioritize policy over political posturing, ease burdens for licensed practices, and foster bipartisan cooperation. He currently chairs the House Government Committee and serves on the Appropriations and Commerce committees.

• David Cook Sr. — Rancher in AZ

  David Cook is a Republican politician running for the Arizona House of Representatives, District 7, in the 2026 primary election. Born in Oklahoma, he moved to Arizona in 1985 and is a graduate of Miami High School. He is a rancher and co-founded the DC Cattle Company with his wife. Cook previously served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2016 to 2025, representing District 7 and District 8 during different terms. In the legislature, he was involved with committees on commerce, agriculture, military affairs, and transportation. Cook champions traditional family and western values, supporting programs like 4-H and FFA. He introduced legislation to protect endangered species information on private land and notably voted against a flat tax bill. In 2018, he was arrested on suspicion of a DUI.

• Andrew Costanzo — Candidate for State Representative in Flagstaff, AZ

  Andrew Costanzo is a Republican candidate seeking to represent Arizona House of Representatives District 7 in the 2026 primary election. He is a strong proponent of congressional term limits, having signed a pledge to support an Article V convention to enact them, emphasizing the need for citizen legislators over career politicians. Costanzo holds firm conservative stances on social issues, strongly opposing chemical abortion drugs and taxpayer funding for abortion providers, and also opposes assisted suicide, stating that all life is precious. Economically, he champions free enterprise and private property rights. His campaign has reported over $13,000 in contributions. He is associated with Flagstaff, Arizona.

• Barby Ingle — Advocate, Author, Collegiate Coach, and Foundation President in AZ

  Barby Ingle is a Republican candidate for the Arizona House of Representatives, District 7, in the 2026 election. She earned degrees from Richard Bland Junior College and George Mason University. Her career experience includes working as an advocate, author, collegiate coach, Chairman of Power of Pain Foundation, Inc, and President of International Pain Foundation. Ingle identifies as a liberty-loving, Christian, conservative, and MAGA Republican, with legislative involvement since 2009. She is running to put people over politics and focuses on issues such as AI in genetic disease treatment, legal immigration, Arizona's budget, empowering women’s health in chronic pain, and the state's energy future.

• Samuel "sam" Martin — Candidate for State Representative in AZ

  Samuel "Sam" Martin is a Democratic Party candidate campaigning for the Arizona House of Representatives to represent District 7. He is on the ballot for the 2026 primary election, which is scheduled for July 21, 2026. Martin aims to serve the constituents of his district within the state legislature. Although his detailed policy positions are not extensively outlined, he aligns with principles advocating for independent, people-powered, anti-corruption, and civil campaign conduct. He has not yet received endorsements from Democratic or progressive organizations.