Blackman, Cook Win Re-election in District 7

Republicans Walt Blackman and David Cook retained the two House seats in Arizona's Legislative District 7 as Democrats pursued control of the Legislature.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Legislative Policy

Blackman, Cook Win Re-election in District 7

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Walt Blackman and David Cook won re-election to the Arizona House in Legislative District 7 on Election Day, with Blackman at 35% and Cook at 33%. The lone Democratic candidate, Samuel Martin, received 24% of the vote as Democrats appeared on track to take control of both chambers of the Arizona Legislature for the first time since 1966.

Why it matters

A Democratic takeover of both legislative chambers and the governor's office would reshape the roles of incumbents such as Blackman, who chairs the Government Oversight Committee. Districts with a substantial Republican registration advantage can still see close margins, as Martin's Coconino County win illustrates.

Unofficial totals as of Wednesday morning showed Blackman with 46,154 votes, Cook with 44,334 and Democrat Samuel Martin with 31,877, while Green Party candidate Richard Grayson drew 11,213. Final certified counts had not yet been released.

The players

Walt Blackman

Blackman is a Republican state representative and U.S. Army veteran who chairs the Government Oversight Committee.

David Cook

Cook is a Republican state representative and co-founder of the DC Cattle Company who lost a 2024 challenge to Sen. Wendy Rogers.

The details

Blackman and Cook won the district's two available House seats, with Martin winning only the Coconino County portion of the district that spans Navajo, Gila, Coconino and Pinal counties. Blackman is a U.S. Army veteran, and Cook co-founded the DC Cattle Company and lost a 2024 challenge to Sen. Wendy Rogers.

November 3, 2026: Election Day, when Blackman and Cook won re-election.
November 4, 2026: Unofficial early returns showed a Democratic wave election.
1966: The last time Democrats controlled both Arizona legislative chambers.

Legislative Context

Democrats appeared poised to take control of both Arizona legislative chambers for the first time since 1966, a precedent that would reverse decades of Republican control. Such a shift would alter the working roles of incumbents like Blackman and Cook, who had expected to hold the minority seats they were just reelected to hold.

If Democrats win control of both chambers and the governor's office, the rules, committee assignments and priorities that govern state policy would change for residents across Arizona. Districts like the one covering Navajo, Gila, Coconino and Pinal counties would see their representatives operate under a different legislative majority.

The takeaway

Close district results show that registration advantages do not guarantee outcomes, and voters in similar districts should watch certified counts before drawing conclusions about legislative control.