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Mike Pence's role in the Trump administration

Mike Pence's role in the Trump administration has been forced more into the spotlight with the president's illness from coronavirus. Here's a look back at Pence's career.

Dwight Adams, dwight.adams@indystar.com

Former vice president Mike Pence is showing no signs of slowing on the speaker circuit.

"The best days for the Republican party and the greatestnation are yet to come," Pence recently proclaimedto a crowd inSimi Valley, California. Speaking at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library,the former vice president laid out his vision fortheconservative movement andaddressed a defining question for his party in thepost-Trump era: What should the Republican Party stand for?"

That central theme is also forging Pence'sown politicalfuture.

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Since leaving office his final days tainted by the U.S. Capitol insurrection Pence remained mostly quiet in the early months of 2021. Beginning in April, he quickly bounced back into the public spotlight, fueling speculation thatIndiana's former governoris eyeing a 2024 presidential run.

These days, Pence is working with multiple conservative organizations and deliveringspeeches in crucial electionstates, wherehe's been greetedwith applause, met withsome booing and in New Hampshire earlier this month, he walked on stage to the '70s classic rock staple "Takin' Care of Business."

With that spirit, Pence has been trying toenergize conservative crowds,sharing endless accolades of former President Trump and their White House administration. That said,he also is also trying to build upon his own voicein the Republican party.

"I learned a lot serving alongside President Donald Trump. Some people think we're a little bit different," Pence said, prompting a few laughs from the audience.

He can also do one thing his former boss and potential 2024 competitor cannot: tweet. Sometimes, with the familiarly sporadic all-caps.

In his public appearances and online presence, Pence hascontinued to advocate for traditional conservative values a strong national defense, free market economics and anti-abortion but he's also speaking out about more hot-button topics, including border security,Chinaand "patriotic education."

"We must expose the messthe radical left has used to corrupt the minds of America's youth," Pence said Thursday,criticizing the "Defund the Police" movement,dismissing the idea of systemic racism and calling for the end of critical race theory in schools. He did not speak about the coronavirus pandemic,which has killed more than 600,000 Americans, or his role on the White House task force with the exception of blaming China for not being more transparent about the origins of the virus.

As he pushes ahead with those talking points at speeches and guest appearancesthis summer, here's a detailed look at what Pence's post-vice presidency life has looked like:

Pence made a swift move to his native Indiana on Jan. 20, delivering his vice presidential farewell address from his hometown of Columbus. At the airport there, with Back Home Again in Indianasetting the mood, Pence announced he and his wife Karen would eventually move back to his home state.

Earlier that same day, he hadattended the inauguration of President Joe Biden, unlike Trump, who broke with a longtime presidential tradition. The former president had attacked Pence online for certifying the results of the 2020 election, all while a mob ofrioters stormed the U.S. Capitol and disrupted the certification process.During the riot, some peoplechanted Hang Mike Pence and Bring out Pence," according to video shown during Trump's impeachment trial.

Trump and Pence reportedly met face to facea week after the incident.

Capitol riot footage: Mike Pence sheltering with insurrectionists near

Video from the riots in Washington, D.C. shows Vice President Mike Pence evacuating with his family as insurrectionists were 100 feet away.

USA TODAY

After the insurrection and the tumultuous conclusion of the Trump administration, the Pences reportedly vacationed in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In February, Pence then joinedthe Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C.as a distinguished visiting fellow,"where he advisespolicy experts and writes a monthly column. The latest one criticized the Biden administration's actions on border security.

He also signed on to be a scholar at theYoung AmericaFoundation, a conservative youth movement, where he will deliver speeches at college campuses and student conferences.

After a bit of a break, Pence dove back into the political spotlight with a flurry of professional and personal announcements. In early April, he announced the launch of his own political advocacy group and the release of his upcoming memoir, covering his rise from Columbus to the White House.

The two-book deal with Simon & Schuster raised concerns among its employees and others in the publishing industry, who criticized the company for publishing the former Trump administration official. Their demands to cancel the book deal, centered around Pences track record on LGBTQ issues, marginalized communities and his handling of the coronavirus crisis, were not met. At the time,Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp told employees canceling would go against their mission to publish a diversity of voices and perspectives.

The book deal could help the former vice president earn millions, with CNN previously reporting Pences deal with Simon & Schuster is in the $3 million to $4 million range, according to publishing industry sources.

Pence took time to take care of personal business in April, too. He had a pacemaker installed after reportedly experiencing "symptoms associated with a slow heart rate." The surgery was successful, according to his office. In 2016, upon being named the Republican vice presidential nominee, Pence disclosed he had an asymptomatic left bundle branch block.

All that set the stage for his first public address since leaving office, at a Palmetto Family Council event in Columbia, South Carolina. Pence praised the Trump administration and criticized President Joe Bidens first 100 days in front of a crowd of friendly conservatives.

"Had enough?" Pence said during his speech, slammingthe administrations liberal policies. "I have."

Mike Pence's South Carolina speech: Praise for Trump, attacks on Biden, silence on Jan. 6

As he tries to look to the future of the Republican party, the events of Jan. 6 continue to cast a dark shadow over Pence.

The House had passed a bipartisan bill creating an independent commission to study the Capitol Riot in May, but itlater failed to pass the Senate.In his home state, Rep. Trey Hollingsworthwas the only Indiana House Republican to support the commission, while Pence's brother Rep. Greg Pence voted against it.

'A day of darkness': Pelosi announces House select committee to investigate Jan. 6 attack

Later that month, the Pences moved into a$1.93 million, 7-bedroom mansion in Carmel, just in time to attend the Indianapolis 500.

Pence finally spoke more extensively about the elephant in the room at a June dinner hosted by Hillsborough County Republicans in Manchester, New Hampshire. He called the U.S. Capitol riot a dark day in American history and noted the disagreement between him and Trump, who continuously refused defeat in the 2020 election and insisted Pence had the power to block the certification of Bidens win.

I dont know if well ever see eye to eye on that day, Pence said, noting he and Trump have spoken many times since leaving office. But I will always be proud of what we accomplished for the American people for the last four years.

At another recent event, Pence was met with boos and and chants of traitor! Some hecklers reportedly had to be removed from his speech at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Orlando, Florida, where Pence addressed a group of conservative activists aiming to win back the majority in the 2022 midterm elections.

In his California speech, he used his strongestlanguage yet to describe his actions on Jan. 6:"There's almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American President. The presidency belongs to the American people and the American people alone." Pence said, reasserting that he had no authority to rejectany electoral votes certified by states.

Pence will continue his speaking tourin Des Moines, Iowa, at the Family Leadership Summit on July 16, among agathering of "Christians seeking cultural transformation in the family, church, government and more."

In August, he will attendYoung America's Foundation conservative student conference in Houston and he seems eager to keep going.He recently retweeted a link on how college campuses can apply to host the the former vice president as a guest speaker.

IndyStar reporters Kaitlin LangeandSarah Nelson and USA TODAY reportersMaureen Groppe and David Jackson contributed to this report.

Contact IndyStar reporter Rashika Jaipuriar atrjaipuriar@gannett.comandfollow her on Twitter@rashikajpr.

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