Walter Blackman

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2019}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Walt Blackman

|image = Walter Blackman by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg

| state_house = Arizona

| district = 7th

| term_start = January 13, 2025

| term_end =

| predecessor = David Cook

| alongside = David Marshall

|state_house1 = Arizona

|district1 = 6th

|alongside1 = Brenda Barton

|term_start1 = January 14, 2019

|term_end1 = January 9, 2023

|predecessor1 = Brenda Barton

|successor1 = Myron Tsosie

|birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|54|2020|10|19}}

|birth_place = Portugal

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Republican

|spouse = Kristi Blackman

|children = 5

|education = Grand Canyon University

|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}

|branch = {{army|United States}}

|mawards = Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal

|website =

}}

Walter Blackman (born 1965/1966){{cite web |url=https://www.verdenews.com/news/2020/oct/19/q-state-house-district-6-candidate-walt-blackman/ |title=Q&A: State House District 6 Candidate Walt Blackman |date=October 19, 2020 |accessdate=October 12, 2021 |work=Verde Independent}} is an American politician who serves as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives from the 7th district.{{cite web |url=https://www.wmicentral.com/news/heber_overgaard/snowflake-vet-enters-race-for-ld-seat/article_11bf8b4c-c28f-56b7-b9f9-f4997cff31a3.html |title=Snowflake vet enters race for LD6 seat |work=White Mountain Independent |access-date=January 13, 2019 |date=December 22, 2017 |author=Johnson, Michael}}{{cite web |url= https://gcmaz.com/thorpe-blackman-move-on-in-state-legislative-district-6-race/ |title=Thorpe, Blackman Move on in State Legislative District 6 Race |publisher=KAFF News |access-date=January 13, 2019 |date=August 28, 2018 |first=Dave|last=Zorn}} He previously served in the legislature from 2019 to 2023 for District 6, and was the first black Republican elected to the Arizona State Legislature. Blackman served 21 years in the United States Army, earning a Bronze Star for combat action as a tank commander in Iraq.

Early life and education

Blackman was born on an Army base in Portugal, where his father served as an officer in the United States Air Force Security Forces.{{cite web|url=http://www.journalaz.com/news/yavapai-county/37629-representative-elect-blackman-seeks-accountability-at-legislature.html |title=Representative-elect Blackman seeks accountability at legislature |work=JournalAZ.com|author=Jon Hecht |date=2018-11-20 |access-date=2020-06-08}} He was raised in Wiesbaden, Germany.{{cite web|last=Campbell |first=Katie |url=https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2018/12/24/walt-blackman-a-graduate-of-real-world-u/ |title=Walt Blackman: A graduate of 'Real World U' |work=Arizona Capitol Times |date= December 24, 2018|access-date=2020-06-07}}

Career

Blackman served in the United States Army for 21 years as a front line tank commander, and a sexual harassment and assault prevention Senior Program Manager specialist.{{cite web |url=https://www.blackman4az.com/about-walt |title=Who is Walt Blackman? |publisher=Walt Blackman – Candidate for Arizona |access-date=January 13, 2019}} He earned a Bronze Star for combat action in Iraq, and a Meritorious Service Medal. From 2016 to 2018, he was the founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of WB Inclusion and Diversity Consulting Firm, LLC in Snowflake, Arizona.[https://apps.arizona.vote/electioninfo/assets/17/0/FinancialDisclosureStatements/blackman-walter-10996-10293.pdf "State Financial Disclosure Statement,"] March 16, 2020.

=Political career=

Blackman was elected in 2018 to succeed term-limited Arizona State Representative Brenda Barton as a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing district 6. He was the first black Republican elected to the Arizona Legislature.{{cite web|url=https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2020/06/05/black-arizona-legislator-draws-criticism-after-calling-black-lives-matter-terrorist-group/ |title=Black Arizona Legislator Calling Black Lives Matter 'Terrorist' Group |work=Arizona Daily Independent |date= June 5, 2020|access-date=2020-06-07}}

He supports criminal justice reform.{{cite web|last=Rosenblatt |first=Dillon |url=https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2020/06/04/black-lawmaker-calls-blm-a-terrorist-organization/ |title=Black lawmaker calls BLM a terrorist organization |work=Arizona Capitol Times |date=June 4, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2020}} He is chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Earned Release Credits for Prisoners, Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee, Vice Chair of the State and International Affairs Committee, and a Member of the Education Commission of the States, the Government Committee and the Regulatory Affairs Committee.{{cite web|url=https://www.azleg.gov/house-member/?legislature=54&legislator=1895 |title=House Member Walter Blackman|publisher=Azleg.gov |access-date=2020-06-07}} In February 2020, the Arizona House unanimously approved a bill that he had proposed that would give all non-violent-offense state prisoners time off their sentences if they work in prison or take drug treatment or major self-improvement courses in prison.{{cite news|first=Bob|last=Christie|date=February 27, 2020|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/arizona/articles/2020-02-27/house-oks-bill-letting-non-violent-inmates-earn-time-off|title=House OKs Bill Letting Non-Violent Inmates Earn Time Off|newspaper=U.S. News & World Report}}

Commenting on the murder of George Floyd, and also highlighting Floyd's criminal record, Blackman said on Facebook: "I DO NOT support George Floyd and I refuse to see him as a martyr. But I hope his family receives justice."{{cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2020/06/05/black-gop-legislator-criticism-blm-terrorist/3149272001/ |title=Black GOP legislator Walter Blackman draws criticism after calling Black Lives Matter 'terrorist' group |work=Arizona Republic |first1=Maria|last1=Polletta|first2=Yvonne Wingett|last2=Sanchez|date= June 5, 2020|access-date=June 7, 2020}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/arizona-republican-lawmaker-walt-blackman-says-george-floyd-is-not-a-hero-11473777|title=Arizona Rep. Walt Blackman: George Floyd Is 'Not a Hero,' BLM Is a 'Terrorist Organization'|first=Ray|last=Stern|date=June 4, 2020|newspaper=Phoenix New Times}} Blackman also called the Black Lives Matter movement a "terrorist organization", likened it to the Ku Klux Klan and questioned whether police brutality existed. In reaction, the Arizona branches of the American Friends Service Committee and the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona said that they no longer would work with him.

Following the 2020 United States presidential election, Blackman supported the "Stop the Steal" movement which falsely claimed that Donald Trump won the election nationally and in Arizona.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc15.com/news/state/seven-arizonan-republican-legislators-face-calls-to-ban-them-from-the-house-and-senate|title=Seven Arizonan Republican legislators face calls to ban them from the House and Senate|date=January 7, 2021|access-date=February 20, 2021|website=ABC 15 Arizona|first=Adam|last=Waltz}}

In 2022, Blackman said that he and his family were the victims of a racist smear campaign driven by the far-right website The Gateway Pundit over his refusal to support overturning the 2020 presidential election.{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Jeroslyn |title=Black Republican in Arizona Says His Daughter is the Target of Racist Attacks |url=https://www.blackenterprise.com/black-arizona-republican-says-hes-being-targeted-for-not-wanting-to-overturn-2020-presidential-election/ |access-date=21 February 2022 |work=Black Enterprise |date=9 February 2022}} He said that, after he gave an interview in which he argued that it would be unconstitutional for state legislators to "decertify" the results of the 2020 presidential election, his daughter received a text message calling him a racial epithet and a "RINO" (Republican in Name Only).{{cite web|title=Arizona Republican Says His Daughter Got Text Calling Him 'N-Word' RINO|url=https://news.yahoo.com/arizona-republican-says-daughter-got-041150617.html|date=February 8, 2022|access-date=February 12, 2022|work=Yahoo! News|first=Liz|last=Slalka}}

==2022 U.S. House campaign==

{{main|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona#District 2}}

In March 2021, Blackman announced his candidacy for Arizona's 2nd congressional district in the 2022 elections.{{cite news |last1=Skabelund |first1=Adrian |title=Rep. Walt Blackman announces he's seeking seat in House |url=https://azdailysun.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/rep-walt-blackman-announces-hes-seeking-seat-in-house/article_e3257841-451c-5348-958f-51c403d41fe4.html |access-date=21 May 2021 |work=Arizona Daily Sun |date=March 24, 2021 |language=en}}

In a September 2021 speech, Blackman said, "The Proud Boys came to one of my events and that was one of the proudest moments of my life." When asked to comment on his remarks, Blackman condemned the Proud Boys, a far-right group that engages in political violence, saying, "At the time of the rally, [I] wasn't familiar with the totality and breadth of the Proud Boys conduct, which I unequivocally condemn."{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/13/politics/kfile-arizona-republican-walt-blackman-praised-proud-boys/index.html|title=NRCC-supported candidate praised Proud Boys at September rally for Capitol rioters|website=CNN|date=October 13, 2021|first1=Andrew|last1=Kaczynski|first2=Em|last2=Steck}}

In a seven-way Republican primary race, Blackman finished second to winner Eli Crane.{{cite news |title=Arizona Second Congressional District Primary Election Results |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/08/02/us/elections/results-arizona-us-house-district-2.html |access-date=26 October 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=2 August 2022}}

==2024 State House campaign ==

In January 2023, Blackman announced his campaign for a third non-consecutive term in the State House.{{cite web |last1=Oravits |first1=Jeff |title=Joe Galli talking term limits + Walt Blackman announces LD7 run, talks state of politics in AZ |url=https://jefforavits.wordpress.com/2023/01/25/1555-joe-galli-talking-term-limits-walt-blackman-announces-ld7-run-talks-state-of-politics-in-az/ |website=The Jeff Oravits Show |date=January 26, 2023 |access-date=27 April 2023}} After redistricting, his new district contains more of Pinal County. He won the general election in November 2024, and was sworn in on January 13, 2025.

Personal life

Blackman and his wife have five children. His wife works at the Northern Arizona Council of Government.

See also

References

{{reflist}}