Video Gambling Magnate Joins Republican Contest for Illinois Governor

Rick Heidner, a rich real estate investor and video gaming businessman from Barrington Hills, has now jumped into the Republican primary race to become Illinois governor. His campaign paperwork filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections adds another name to an already packed GOP lineup before the March 2026 primary.

Video Gaming Tycoon Rick Heidner Enters Illinois Governor Race with $1 Million Self-Funding Push

Heidner, 64, started Gold Rush Gaming, which ranks as the third-biggest operator of video gambling terminals in Illinois. His company’s machines can be found in hundreds of bars, restaurants, and gas stations throughout the state. Together with his wife Alisa, he has also acquired over 280 commercial properties across 12 states and owns the Ricky Rockets gas station chain and Prairie State Energy, a company that supplies fuel.

His running mate will be Christina Neitzke-Troike, Homer Glen’s mayor, according to petitions in circulation, reported Capitol News Illinois. Heidner kicked off his campaign with a self-funded $1 million donation, hinting at his plan to rival well-known Republican candidates like former state senator Darren Bailey, policy advocate Ted Dabrowski, and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick.

While Heidner is campaigning as a Republican, his extensive history of campaign contributions spans both parties. Records from state elections reveal that he and his companies have given almost $1.5 million to political candidates in the last 20 years. The recipients include well-known Democrats like Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. He has also backed several state legislative leaders, such as Don Harmon and Michael Madigan, along with previous Chicago mayors Rahm Emanuel and Richard M. Daley.

Heidner Positions Himself as a Political Newcomer with Corporate Savvy

Despite this past, Heidner’s backers paint him as a political newcomer with extensive business know-how. His campaign head, Brett Corrigan, who once worked for Bailey, said Heidner gives Republican voters a new option if they are fed up with the usual suspects. Corrigan hinted that the businessman’s corporate background and knack for striking deals might attract voters who are annoyed with how the state handles money and its long-standing political crowd.

Heidner’s career has seen its share of ups and downs. In 2019, his name popped up in federal court papers during a corruption investigation, though prosecutors later made it clear he was not a target. His company got caught up in a scrapped plan to build a racetrack and casino in Tinley Park after the state pulled the plug on selling the land.

In 2022, the IRS slapped a $5 million lien on him and his wife, but a spokesperson said they sorted it out through a payment plan with the tax authorities. With Gov. J.B. Pritzker likely to run for a third term and no major Democratic rivals in view, the Republican primary is turning into a challenge. It will show if a rich newcomer like Heidner can reshape the party’s course in Illinois.