Former Vice President Mike Pence announced the launch of his new conservative advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, on Wednesday.
The organization will “defend and build upon the successful policies of the Trump-Pence Administration. AAF will help defeat the Radical Left Agenda and Advance American Freedom for generations to come,” Pence said on Twitter Wednesday, while introducing the organization.
“Conservatives will not stand idly by as the radical left and the new administration attempt to threaten America’s standing as the greatest nation in the world with their destructive policies,” Pence told the Washington Examiner.
Aides to the former vice president told the Examiner that Advancing American Freedom will build a “winning formula for a broader coalition.”
Organization’s Trump-alum advisory board
Advancing American Freedom’s executive director is Paul Teller, former chief of staff to Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and conservative policy liaison during the Trump administration.
- The advisory board includes an A-list of Trump administration alumni, “including former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, former counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft, former Ambassador to the Holy See Callista Gingrich, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, former director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow” and “former director of the Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought,” Fox News reported.
- Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House and one-time Republican presidential hopeful, is also on the board.
Organization’s policy platform
According to its website, Advancing American Freedom says its platform consists of three groups of political issues:
- American Liberties: This includes a “pro-life” stance, “religious liberty” and “school choice.”
- American Prosperity: Which they says means “rebuilding the economy” and “trade.”
- American Strength & Security: This includes “immigration,” “Israel/Middle East peace,” “stranding firm against adversaries” and “defending the police.”
The beginnings of a presidential run?
The 2024 presidential election is still years away, but it’s not too early for presidential hopefuls to begin to creating a coalition of supporters. Could this advocacy board be the beginning of Pence’s long road to the 2024 election?
- Deseret News’ D. Hunter Schwarz reported that six former vice presidents have gone on to be elected to the Oval Office, but Pence’s duty on Jan. 6 to confirm Joe Biden as president — which was temporarily interrupted by the deadly Capitol riot — could have soured Republican voters’ opinion of the former vice president.
- “I think increasingly the base of the Republican Party is aligned with Donald Trump, and Mike Pence is really seen with hostility by Trump’s base, simply for performing his constitutional duty on the 6th,” said Indiana University Bloomington political science professor Steven Webster to Deseret News.