In what would be his first run for public office, millionaire venture capitalist Bruce Rauner announced Tuesday he could be a Republican candidate in the 2014 gubernatorial race.

“We need major changes in the way we tax and spend, the way we treat businesses and workers, the way we deal with our state budget and pensions, and the way we run our schools,” said Rauner, 56, in a statement. He plans to form an exploratory campaign committee and embark on a 60-day “listening tour” across the state.

“The political class in Springfield [is] either unwilling to, or incapable of, making the kind of changes we need,” he said.

Serving as chairman of the venture capital firm R8 Partners, Rauner stepped down from his executive position at the Chicago private equity firm GTCR last year.

Having served as an advisor to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Rauner, who has donated to the construction of charter schools and has one named after him, spoke out against the Chicago Teachers Union during contract negotiations last year. Rauner filed with the Illinois State Board of the Election Tuesday.

Other possible candidates for the GOP nomination in the 2014 race for governor include Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford; State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington), who ran against Quinn in 2010; State Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale); U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock (R, IL-18); and former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh.

Democratic candidates going up against Gov. Pat Quinn in the primary could include Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and former U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley.