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Illinois GOP in Disarray: Governor Candidate Dodges Questions on Salacious Allegations as Gambling Mogul Enters Race

Springfield, IL – The Illinois Republican Party appears to be fracturing further as the 2026 gubernatorial primary heats up. Candidate Ted Dabrowski refused to comment Tuesday on the public release of a years-old draft harassment complaint against rival Darren Bailey, which surfaced via a right-wing “pink slime” news website. The website published a story containing an internet link detailing salacious allegations against a rival. Dabrowski, who is backed by Jeanne Ives and Dan Proft, declined to denounce the involvement of these figures, including Proft’s business partner, Brian Timpone, who oversees the controversial publications. Ives also posted the article with the link on her Facebook page.

The draft lawsuit containing the allegations stems from Bailey’s unsuccessful 2022 gubernatorial bid. They were never formally filed in court and have not been verified.

Adding to the turmoil, real estate developer and gambling magnate Rick Heidner has entered the race, filing paperwork to run for governor with Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike as his running mate, and seeding his campaign with $1 million. Heidner’s entry is shadowed by past controversies. A 2019 investigation revealed his ties to individuals with alleged connections to organized crime, leading to scrutiny of his business dealings and Pritzker canceling the sale of the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center property.

Heidner’s campaign chair is Brett Corrigan, who previously supported Bailey and was involved in the original harassment allegations now resurfacing. Corrigan who made the allegations during Bailey’s first run for governor in 2022, when he was 17 years old.

This infighting has drawn criticism from within the party. Lawyer Scott Kaspar, general counsel for the conservative website Illinois Review, laments the “fractured” state of the Illinois GOP. Corrigan echoed that sentiment, noting the infighting is “a sad testament of the state of the Illinois Republican Party.”

The fractured Republican landscape presents a significant challenge as the party seeks a viable candidate to challenge incumbent Democratic Governor JB Pritzker in 2026.

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