Incumbent, challenger share small government values

Mark Johnson and Sid Daoud have a lot in common. That’s largely why they’re now pitted against each other in the race to be Kalispell’s next mayor. They both believe in small government, the future of their city and the importance of giving voters a choice in their representation.

In fact, it was their shared conviction in the need for a bigger ballot that led Johnson and Daoud to run against one another in the mayoral race. Johnson, who has served two terms as Kalispell’s mayor, won both of his previous elections unopposed. He encouraged Daoud to join the council in 2019 and to run for mayor this year, even though that meant the pair would have to square off against each other at the polls.

“A lot of people are confused, because Mayor Johnson and I are friends,” Daoud said. “We both believe in having more people involved in municipal races so people have choices.”

Johnson has served as Kalispell’s mayor for the past eight years. Daoud has been a councilmember for two.

When he isn’t in the Kalispell Council Chambers, Johnson works as the senior vice president of investments at Stifel, a multinational investment banking corporation.

Daoud, meanwhile, works as a technology consultant for an Alabama company, and he served in the Army for almost 13 years before that.

Both candidates hail from Montana originally: Johnson grew up in Whitefish and Daoud was born in Great Falls.

Each credits his personal life as an influence on his political approach.

Johnson is a father of seven, and he said he wants to shore up the future of Kalispell so that his children can stay and work in the area.

“I’ve always said that I do this selfishly for my seven kids,” said Johnson. “I want them to be around. I want them to have careers here and opportunities here.”

Daoud, likewise, said his family plays a big part in his philosophy towards government.

“I think I’m uniquely situated in being open-minded,” Daoud said, crediting his marriage to a Black woman as a source of that open-minded perspective. Daoud and his wife have been married for 31 years and they have three children together. “I think I long ago was able to look at things from different angles and see different people’s perspectives.”

Daoud’s voting record reflects his independent approach to each issue. He has repeatedly cast one of the few opposing votes against measures that most of the council supports, because he holds strongly to a set of libertarian ideals that emphasize small government and less restrictive policies. Daoud consistently votes against proposals that would increase zoning restrictions, taxes and government funding for public and private endeavors, even though many of those ideas enjoy popularity among the rest of the council.

“There are many, many times that I’ve voted against the council. Hopefully people don’t think that’s counterproductive that I bring in a different view,” Daoud said.

Daoud sees housing, taxes and infrastructure as the three core issues facing Kalispell at the moment. As mayor, he would like to try out creative solutions that haven’t been attempted in an effort to address those concerns.

One idea, for example, would be implementing a 3% optional tax on cannabis in order to offset property taxes.

“I’m not pro-tax at all,” Daoud stressed. “But I am very much in favor of at least being tax neutral and spreading the taxes over more people.”

He would have to work with the County Commissioners to implement such a tax, however. “I think it would be a big win for the valley,” he said.

The city’s financial health is a top priority for Johnson, too. Since he became mayor in 2014, he has used his background in investment banking and accounting to “really try to shore up the financial structure of the city.”

He hopes to continue to use those skills to address some of the major challenges he sees in Kalispell’s future, including employment, transportation and developing the long-awaited Parkline Trail in the Core area.

Johnson plans to use his business acumen and the relationships he’s built over the past eight years to bring in businesses that could influence healthy growth in the city.

But he said he also wants to focus on more intangible developments if he’s reelected, like showing support for underrecognized city employees and encouraging the community to rebound from the doldrums of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“That transition into hope, post-Covid, that’s what I want to work on,” Johnson said. “How do we do that over the next four years and rebuild the community?”

Johnson believes a crucial part of that process lies in bridging gaps between divided community members. He recognizes that could be his biggest undertaking yet.

“It’s a bigger order than the Core area, I think,” Johnson said, even though the decade-long process to revitalize the Core area is one of his proudest achievements from his time as mayor.

But his relationship with his competitor testifies to Johnson’s ability to facilitate those connections.

Daoud praised the work Johnson has done for the city over the past eight years, even as he explained his desire to take the council in a new direction.

“The mayor directs the council more, and I’d love to be in that place to try out a few different things,” Daoud said.

But if he doesn’t get the nod for mayor, Daoud said he would still work with Johnson from his current seat on the city council.

“We’re all in this together,” Daoud pointed out.

Sid S. Daoud

Age: 54

Occupation: Senior Consultant for Summit7 Systems

Family: Wife of 31 years KristenMarie Daoud, Son Antranik S. Daoud 29, Son Kaden S. Daoud 23, Daughter Cyan J. Daoud 20

Background: I’m a Montanan with a rich family history, representing two American dreams: on my mother’s side, the dream of early settlers in territorial Montana, and on my father’s, that of Armenian immigrants, coming to America to work hard and make a new life.

I was born and raised in Great Falls, proudly served my country in the U.S. Army for 13 years, married my high school sweetheart and raised three great kids.

In 2006, we settled our family in the Flathead Valley.

In 2016, I became more interested in local politics. The United States Constitution and its Bill of Rights form the core of my principals. Any issue I consider must pass through the crucible of enhancing individual rights or support for the community free market.

In 2019 I was elected to the Kalispell City Council representing Ward 4 where I serve today.

Mark Johnson

Age: 52

Occupation: Senior Vice President of Investments/Stifel Nicolaus

Family: Born and raised in Whitefish, youngest of 7 boys. Married to Jennifer and we have seven children, four of them adopted with three from Korea and one from Russia

Education: Whitefish High School 1987, Gonzaga University 1991 with a degree in Accounting. Licensed as a CPA in 1992.

Professional: Certified Public Accountant, construction, real estate development, Merrill Lynch, Stifel Nicolaus (current)

Community: North Valley Hospital Board of Directors; Flathead Valley Community College Foundation Board

Political: Elected as Mayor in 2013 and re-elected in 2017.