Former President Donald Trump gave the Libertarian candidate in Montana’s U.S. Senate race an unexpected shoutout at his rally in Bozeman. The president said the candidate had a surprise announcement coming – but that’s not the case.
Kalispell city councilor and Libertarian candidate Sid Daoud says he was not expecting Trump to single him out at Friday’s rally.
“Where is our Libertarian friend? And I think he’s going to be with us. Where is he?” Trump said.
Daoud was also not expecting this statement from Trump:
“I think he’s going to be giving you a very nice surprise very soon,” Trump said.
Trump was in Bozeman stumping for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy – Daoud’s opponent. Both are in the race to unseat Incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Tester.
Daoud said in an interview afterward that Trump seemingly implied the Libertarian would drop out of the race.
“There was a clear message. And I got it. But you know I’m a bullheaded ex-Army sergeant and you can’t really encourage me or make me do anything I don’t want to do,” Daoud said.
Daoud says he was invited to Bozeman at the last minute to talk about issues with Sheehy and other top Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Steve Daines.
Daoud says he was never asked to drop out, but the Republicans told him that withdrawing may help the GOP win control of the Senate. Daoud was unpersuaded and is continuing his campaign.
He says the meeting was organized by the leaders of the national Libertarian Party. Daoud was offered a chartered flight to Bozeman. He took it, but says he doesn’t know who paid for it.
The Libertarian Party nor the Trump campaign immediately responded to MTPR’s questions.
Montana State University political scientist Eric Raile says it makes sense Republicans would want a Libertarian to step aside as they are most likely to pull votes away from the GOP.
“So if you have a Libertarian candidate getting 3 or 4% of the vote, that is enough to sway those elections,” Raile said.
Spokespeople for Sheehy and Daines said the Republicans did not encourage Daoud to drop out. They say they told Daoud Libertarians have far more in common with the GOP than with Democrats.
