Daniel Zolnikov, a Republican state senator from Billings, faces two write-in challengers in his re-election bid, with his legislative work on data center tax incentives emerging as a central point of contention in what has become an unexpectedly contested race in a district he won convincingly four years ago.

Zolnikov, who represents Senate District 32 encompassing Billings Heights and Shepherd, defeated his 2022 opponents with 66 percent of the vote among roughly 7,400 ballots cast. His challengers this cycle are Cari Olson, who has worked on Democratic campaigns in the Billings area, and Elijah Tidswell, a 21-year-old real estate agent who ran as a Republican against state Senator Kathy Kelker in 2022.

The Data Center Question

Zolnikov’s employment ties and recent legislative record have drawn scrutiny. His last registered employer is Broad Reach Power, a company whose parent firm, EnCap Investments of Houston, holds a stake in Quantica Infrastructure, which is developing a proposed data center near Broadview. Olson has labeled him “Data Center Danny” on social media, framing his legislative agenda as favorable to that project and the broader industry.

The tensions boil over into how state government handled opposition to the Quantica facility. Approximately 15,000 people signed a petition opposing the project, but those petitions were rejected after missing a newly imposed deadline. Notably, the Legislature altered the petition submission deadline in 2025 without broad public awareness, though Quantica alerted the county to the change in time to comply.

Tidswell, the younger write-in challenger, contends that the legislative process has favored the data center industry. “He’s passing bills that help these data centers out massively,” Tidswell told the Montana Free Press, adding that the community’s opposition petition was effectively sidelined. “You have almost 15,000 people that signed a petition saying we want a voice in this process, and they’re just being ignored.”

Legislative Record on Data Centers

During the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers approved a reduced property tax rate for power plants built to support data center electrification. The bill was carried by Katie Zolnikov, Daniel’s wife, a Republican serving in the state House. Daniel Zolnikov himself introduced a “right to compute” measure addressing artificial intelligence regulation, requiring state rules to prioritize public health and safety.

The data center tax incentive was not Zolnikov’s initiative; Representative Ed Buttrey, a Great Falls Republican, sponsored the original version approximately eight years ago. Still, Zolnikov’s embrace of the policy, combined with his professional connection to Broad Reach Power and the broader investment ecosystem, has drawn questions about the alignment of his business interests and legislative priorities.

Zolnikov has a longer track record of technology-focused lawmaking. He legalized ride-sharing services such as Uber in Montana roughly a decade ago, establishing himself as an advocate for emerging business models. He has also carried legislation addressing cybercrime, a focus that earned him the moniker “Data Security Dan” earlier in his legislative career.

Campaign and Security Concerns

The escalating political heat appears to have affected Zolnikov personally. He recently added an extra security door to his residence due to concerns about break-ins, though no details about specific incidents were disclosed.

The Senate district encompasses approximately 22,000 residents, a relatively small electorate in which local business and legislative decisions carry outsized political weight. With both write-in challengers on the ballot and the data center question drawing sustained community attention, Zolnikov’s path to re-election remains uncertain despite his strong 2022 showing.