Why is Rick Heidner Running for Governor?
Businessman Rick Heidner speaks to the Illinois Racing Board in 2019. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
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Suburban businessman Rick Heidner has managed to launch a campaign for governor with no public announcement, no social media, no website, no platform, no media interviews, and never showing the candidate's face in public.
Let's just say this isn't how it's normally done.
“It sure seems thrown together at the last minute,” said one longtime GOP operative Thursday, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “You can tell they're just desperately focused on getting him enough petition [signatures] to get on the ballot.”
Numerous Republicans say Heidner’s campaign is paying handsomely per petition signature in an attempt to get the minimum 5,000 valid signatures before the filing window closes November 3. Most campaigns typically aim to file with at least double the required number of signatures to overcome any petition challenges.
Numerous Republican insiders and operatives we spoke to predict Heidner will likely not launch any public facing campaign until after getting on the ballot.
“Petitions are soaking up all of their energy,” said another consultant.
But if and when Heidner makes the ballot, there's almost nothing we know publicly about his political leanings.
Heidner has never spoken publicly about social issues and hasn't been an outspoken voice about issues outside of public statements on his gaming business.
“He's a blank slate, which can allow him to define himself in a way that can best win a primary,” said another Republican consultant. “The downside is if he doesn't define himself as soon as possible, the other Republican candidates in the race will do it for him.”
The consultant points to Heidner’s controversies with the Illinois Gaming Board, which proposed suspending his gaming license in 2019, purported mob ties in a cancelled racino project, and more than $5 million in unpaid taxes.
He also has a long track record of political contributions to controversial Democrats like Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, former Speaker Michael Madigan, and other convicted politicians like late Sen. Martin Sandoval, former Rep. Luis Arroyo, and Crestwood Mayor Lou Presta.
“He has a lot of explaining to do,” said a GOP insider, speaking of the donations.
Many Republican operatives said Heidner could borrow a page from former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s first campaign in 2014, where Rauner spent millions in TV ads to hammer home his business credentials and intentions to “shake up Springfield.”
But Rauner had already been on TV for months at this point in 2013 as Heidner’s campaign is getting off the ground.
Heidner has no name ID with Republican primary voters, so top Republicans agree he'll have to spend a lot of money on TV to introduce himself in such a compressed campaign window.
“It ain't gonna be cheap,” chuckled one Republican elected official. “His checkbook may be the indicator if his heart is really in it.”
