Kalispell City Councilor Sid Daoud launches US Senate bid

Days after winning reelection to Kalispell City Council, Sid Daoud has turned his attention to the Montana Senate seat up for grabs in 2024.

“I want to make sure that I create a world where my kids, and millennials and under, have a chance … That the American dream is still something we can obtain,” Daoud told the Inter Lake on Monday. 

Born and raised in Montana, an Army veteran and a father of three, Daoud and his family relocated from Great Falls to the Flathead Valley in 2006. Currently, Daoud works as a senior consultant for Summit 7 Systems. He ran unopposed in the Nov. 7 municipal election, handily winning a second term on City Council. 

Daoud cited the housing crisis, property tax reform and education reform as his three priorities if elected to the Senate. Letting the free market correct itself is the only long term solution to the housing crunch, he said, arguing for community solutions over government intervention. 

He also is worried about inflation and the economy as a whole.  

“We have to do something about our economy,” Daoud said. “It's almost like the Senate and the House are ignoring it. They continue to loan money out, they continue to create more money, which you know, only government can create inflation … so we have to do something about that critically here in the United States.”

Daoud also rejected what he described as the outdated, “one-size-fits-all” public education system, calling for a new look at “innovative structures and solutions” that center on parent-choice. Criticizing the state’s reliance on property taxes, Daoud is campaigning on a platform of diversifying the tax base, to include “visitors who use our businesses and infrastructure.”

Daoud previously ran as a Libertarian candidate for the state House of Representatives in 2018, losing to Republican John Fuller, now a state senator. He ran for the House again in 2022, losing to Rep. Terry Falk.

Taking aim at the two-party system, Daoud said the Libertarian approach to governance best represents Montana. Democrats create exaggerated spending bills for the Republicans to then pare down, he said. Both parties give themselves a pat on the back when they’re done, he said. 

“The problem is that it's all planned that way,” Daoud said. “There's a lot of Montanans that feel that way.” 

Daoud is the latest to join the race to unseat incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat. Bozeman-based businessman Tim Sheehy and former Montana Secretary of State and Public Service Commission Chair Brad Johnson are vying for the Republican Party’s nomination with U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale seen as another likely candidate. 

Despite the competition, Daoud expressed confidence. Planning to barnstorm across the state, Daoud said he expected to take a grassroots approach to the campaign trail. 

“[Libertarians] are a legitimate choice and we have a different set of priorities and principles than either of the two big parties,” Daoud said. “We are trying to put forth someone who is just going to represent Montana at the federal level.”

Daoud also sought to distance his campaign from the national Libertarian Party. Montana interests are his main focus, he said, where liberty, privacy and personal responsibility remain paramount. 

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.