Pence undergoes surgery to receive pacemaker

Former Vice President Mike Pence underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to implant a pacemaker after experiencing symptoms associated with a slow heart rate, his office said Thursday.

Pence was previously diagnosed with asymptomatic left bundle branch block, which he disclosed prior to campaigning for the vice presidency. He experienced symptoms in the past two weeks associated with a slow heart rate, his office said, and he had the surgery done at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus in Falls Church, Va.

“The routine surgery was successful, and he is expected to fully recover and return to normal activity in the coming days,” Pence’s office said.

The former vice president thanked his doctors and family in a statement.

Pence, 61, has largely remained out of the public eye since leaving office in January, though he has remained involved in the conservative movement.

The former vice president earlier this month launched Advancing American Freedom, an advocacy group that he said would defend conservative values while opposing the Biden administration’s agenda. 

Since leaving office, he has also joined the Heritage Foundation as a distinguished visiting fellow where he has a regular column and podcast, and he also joined former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) Young America’s Foundation as a scholar.

Pence was expected to speak later this month in South Carolina in his first speech since leaving office, though it’s unclear if he will still attend after his procedure.