Today’s quotable
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Heidner has been pretty camera shy since jumping into the race and spending a quarter mil on his petition drive. But WGN’s Tahman Bradley convinced him to sit down and talk…
Bradley: And then there’s Rick Heidner. He’s the head of a statewide video gambling empire. He’s already dropped a million dollars into his own campaign war chest. Heidner calls himself a Trump Republican, but we haven’t seen much of him on the campaign trail or on TV until now.
Heidner: My biggest thing is, is that people should be safe. All right. Illinois shouldn’t be for anyone to use as a stage for another, another venture. All right, you know, I’m in a regulated business. You know, I’ve got, we’ve got four major businesses as a family, and the biggest businesses is my Gold Rush business and and it’s regulated, by the way, you know, the governor is my regulator. So this, this is not the smartest thing I’ve ever done in my life. This is probably the most dangerous thing I’ve ever done in my life, and this is the bravest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But my heart and my soul just kept telling me, ‘Rick, you have to do this. Rick, you have to do this.’
Discuss.
- All Right? - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 8:49 am:
All Right.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 8:55 am:
I’m glad the Sun-Times has devoted a lot of investigative resources to examining video gaming (gambling, whatever) in Illinois. There are a lot of threads in the industry impacting politics including Mr. Heidner’s candidacy.
- Really? - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 8:56 am:
There is no evidence that Governor Pritzker uses his regulatory responsibilities in a retaliatory fashion. Hence, it is odd that Heidner is framing his bid as courageous.
Honest, decent elected officials simply do not conduct business in the same manner as the President, or even the former IL Speaker of the House for that matter. Who Pritzker also routinely called out for behavior unbecoming of an individual entrusted with the public’s best interest.
- InIllinois - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 9:05 am:
Disappointed he didn’t say “this is the biggest gamble I’ve ever taken in my life.”
- astor place - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 9:06 am:
Rick….you don’t have to do this!
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 9:11 am:
- by the way, you know, the governor is my regulator -
- this is the bravest thing I’ve ever done in my life. -
I’m pretty sure the fox said the same thing when he applied for that job guarding the hen house.
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 9:13 am:
‘Rick, you have to do this. Rick, you have to do this.’
Morgan Freeman voice:
He didn’t have to do this.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 9:18 am:
My, but the right-wing love them some grand and noble crusades.
- Casper the Ghost Bus - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 9:30 am:
You know, I don’t think, you know, he’s gonna win, you know.
- Steve - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 9:49 am:
Rick sure has a past…
https://tinyurl.com/yeymjj6z
- Huh? - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 10:12 am:
“grand and noble crusades”
Like tilting windmills?
- H-W - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 10:17 am:
=== people should be safe. All right. Illinois shouldn’t be for anyone to use as a stage for another, another venture ===
There is quite a lot to unpack right here. First, public safety and gambling addiction. Second, using Illinois as a stage for another venture capitalism scheme in which Illinoisans are exploited through addiction.
But I am sure the creating and feeding gambling addition problems angle will go nowhere, at least not in Central and Southern Illinois where these venture capitalism attempts to exploit families and people are springing up like weeds along the roadways.
Not exactly the sort of politician we need - one who has exploited Illinoisan families and lay people for profit.
- RiverNorthGuy - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 10:24 am:
Truly stunning how so many people who yearn to be in the public sphere can’t string a few coherent sentences together.
There’s almost always some sort of persecution complex with these types. “I would be retaliatory against my political opponents so I assume the Governor is doing so, too!”
- Rudy’s teeth - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 10:36 am:
Such a contradictory campaign. Heidner claims people should be safe yet his major business encourages wagering. What.
A vanity campaign for sure. Can’t see any traction going forward to securing backing other than his own bucks.
Thanks to Steve for posting the link.
- Homebody - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 10:55 am:
Feels like traditional right wing persecution complex.
- One Hot Bun - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 10:57 am:
Oh, the Trumpet Republican thinks that being a rightist is a form of bravery? Quelle surprise. Cowardice, thy name is Republican.
- New Day - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 11:00 am:
“The voices. The voices in my head. They keep saying run Rick run.” Umm, right. Sure. And those same voices are saying you’re going to win because those voices know zilch about politics or Illinois.
Rick, maybe listen to the other voices - the one’s that are telling you this is a complete waste of time and money and that you have about as much chance to be elected governor as Rich Miller who is not running.
- Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 11:14 am:
There’s a fine line between confident and delusional.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 11:59 am:
So… he knowingly enters into a regulated business (video gambling) then complains that his business is being regulated?
- Lincoln Lad - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 12:01 pm:
Not sure, but there is likely a medication to control those delusional voices in his head.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 12:06 pm:
I have read his answer 5 times and I still can’t figure out what he’s saying.
- Someone who knows - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 12:19 pm:
Maybe this is the answer to the biggest question about Rick Heidner’s candidacy. He’s baiting the Governor into solving the biggest problem his family businesses have through his regulatory authority. Will this be the end of the line for RB? For Heidner’s sake, I hope so…
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 12:27 pm:
=This is probably the most dangerous thing I’ve ever done in my life, and this is the bravest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But my heart and my soul just kept telling me, ‘Rick, you have to do this. Rick, you have to do this.’=
One summer my cousin stayed with us for two weeks. My mom had pool passes for us. My cousin was afraid to jump off the high dive. One day, just before his parents came back to pick him up he jumped of the high dive.
I remember him talking himself into it as he walked to the end of the board. “Jason, you have to do this, you just have to do this Jason”. then he jumped.
When he popped up out of the water he yelled “I’m a hero, that is the bravest thing I have ever done” (banned punctuation omitted)
That is what immediately popped into my head when I read this chuckle heads interview.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 12:27 pm:
Did get a mailer from the guy about a week or two ago. First GOP candidate to send me one.
- harp5339 - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 2:26 pm:
I regularly drive past Heidner’s insanely massive estate, if only he hadn’t been regulated to death he could have afforded 2 more fountains.
- localgovhero - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 2:32 pm:
Dude is trying to play Yellowstone with his gambling empire! Ha!
- Dan - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 3:20 pm:
I’m so over the “I created a business so I know what it takes…” bs. Every business needs a hand up, or hand out at some point. The false bravado doesn’t make you an endearing candidate, it makes you a hypocrite.
- Dotnonymous x - Wednesday, Jan 28, 26 @ 3:52 pm:
I’m not gonna bet on Heidner…it was just sitting there…waiting.
Feel the bravery?