You might remember the fly. Or maybe you remember the chilling images from January 6th. For a while, Mike Pence was everywhere—the loyal-to-a-fault deputy, then the man at the center of a constitutional crisis, and briefly, a 2024 presidential hopeful.
Then, he kinda just... vanished?
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Well, not exactly. If you’re wondering where is Mike Pence today, he hasn’t retired to a quiet life of shuffleboard in Florida like many former politicians. Instead, as of early 2026, Mike Pence has carved out a very specific, somewhat academic, and deeply ideological niche for himself. He’s essentially become the "Professor of Conservatism," splitting his time between college lecterns and a policy shop that’s trying to reclaim the soul of the Republican Party.
The Professor of Practice: George Mason and Grove City
Believe it or not, Mike Pence is probably in a classroom right now.
In late 2025, Pence took on a major role as a Distinguished Professor of Practice at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government in Virginia. This isn't just a vanity title where he shows up once a year for a photo op. For the Spring 2026 semester, he's actually teaching undergraduate courses on public policy and leadership.
He’s also maintained his tie to Grove City College in Pennsylvania. He’s a fellow at their Center for Faith & Public Life, where he talks to students about how his Christian faith has steered his political career. Honestly, it’s a far cry from the high-stakes pressure of the West Wing, but it seems to be where he feels most comfortable: acting as a mentor to the next generation of conservative leaders.
Advancing American Freedom: His Policy Fortress
When he isn't grading papers or speaking to students, Pence is running Advancing American Freedom (AAF).
Think of this as his political headquarters. While his former boss, Donald Trump, is back in the White House for a second term, Pence has used AAF to create a "principled" alternative to the current MAGA movement. It’s a bit of a tightrope walk. He often praises the policy wins of the Trump-Pence years—like the tax cuts and Supreme Court appointments—while simultaneously sounding the alarm on "populism."
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Basically, he’s trying to keep the Reagan-era flame alive.
Just this week, in mid-January 2026, Pence and his team at AAF have been vocal about:
- Defending Women's Sports: They've been active at the Supreme Court, pushing for biological distinctions in athletics.
- Fiscal Responsibility: He’s still hammering away at the national debt, even when it’s not the trendiest topic in the GOP.
- Foreign Policy: Unlike the isolationist wing of the party, Pence remains a staunch supporter of traditional alliances and aid to Ukraine.
He’s also dealing with some internal conservative drama. You might have heard about the "exodus" from the Heritage Foundation lately. A lot of those scholars and policy experts have actually jumped ship to join Pence at AAF, citing a desire to get back to traditional conservative roots.
A New Book on the Horizon
If you’re a fan of his writing, mark your calendar for June 2, 2026.
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Pence is slated to release his third book, titled What Conservatives Believe. This follows his memoir So Help Me God. The new book is being framed as a "21st-century version" of Barry Goldwater’s The Conscience of a Conservative. It’s expected to be a pretty direct challenge to the "New Right" and a plea for the Republican Party to return to limited government and traditional values.
He isn't pulling punches anymore. He’s been surprisingly candid about his concerns that the GOP is "marginalizing the right to life" and pulling back from global leadership.
Where is Mike Pence living?
Life isn't all policy and lectures. Pence and his wife, Karen, moved back to their home state of Indiana after leaving the Naval Observatory in 2021, but they spend a significant amount of time in the Washington D.C. area due to his teaching and think tank duties.
He’s also leaned into his hobbies. In a recent talk at Dartmouth, he admitted he’s actually a bit of a gamer. He plays Madden and golf on Xbox to "unplug." It’s a humanizing detail for a man often described as "robotic" by the media.
The Big Picture: Why He’s Staying Active
Why does any of this matter? Because Mike Pence is playing the long game.
He knows he isn't the most popular man in the MAGA universe right now. But he’s betting that, eventually, the pendulum will swing back toward the kind of "civil" and "principled" conservatism he represents. He’s positioning himself as the elder statesman waiting in the wings.
So, if you’re looking for him, don't look at the campaign rallies. Look in the halls of George Mason, the offices of Advancing American Freedom, or the quiet corner of a bookstore come June. He’s building an intellectual fortress, one lecture and one policy paper at a time.
How to Follow His Current Work
If you want to keep tabs on his specific policy stances or see where he’s speaking next, here are the best places to look:
- AdvancingAmericanFreedom.com: This is where his team posts his latest op-eds and policy initiatives.
- George Mason University (Schar School) News: For updates on his teaching schedule and campus seminars.
- Local 2026 Book Tours: Keep an eye out for his summer book tour starting in June for What Conservatives Believe.
- Social Media: He remains active on X (formerly Twitter) under @Mike_Pence, though it’s mostly focused on AAF’s mission these days.
Mike Pence is still a major player in American politics; he’s just changed the arena from the ballot box to the classroom.