Bottom line: He doesn’t have one. “Pence staked his political future on Trump,” CNN says (here), because “he saw a shortcut to the top of the Republican pile if Trump happened to win.” It was a reckless gamble that required Pence to defend Trump “at every turn (and oftentimes against his own past moral convictions) in order to be at the front of the line to inherit the Trump coalition in 2024 or 2028.”
Now, “Pence is a man without a country. He is FAR too Trump-y for those within the GOP who want a clean break” from Trump, and at the same time, “not Trump-y enough for the diehard adherents” of the man whose shoes he shined for four years. “That no-man’s land is a very tough place to be politically” as the GOP looks to its future. “Pence’s big gamble failed.”
Having bet his future on someone “who views loyalty as a one-way street, Pence is now almost certainly done in national politics.” And he deserves to be. Do I need to explain why? Okay, here’s why:
Pence isn’t the immoral, dishonest, lawless, racist, sexist, and downright evil wrecking ball that Trump is. He isn’t crazy or incompetent, but he’s a moral coward. Of all the times he should have stood up to Trump, he said “no” only once. (Watch Lincoln Project video lampooning Pence here.) Sure, he refused to overthrow our democracy, but he also failed to invoke the 25th Amendment when Trump incited insurrection. Whatever principle Pence has, he repeatedly and consistently subordinated to personal ambition and expediency. But most of all, he’s a fool.
Becoming Vice President is usually the high water mark of any politician who becomes VP. Unless the big guy (or gal) dies there is no guarantee of being the parties standard bearer, if one is too uppity you are out after a term unless you beat the big guy, usually a gamble. Or you go back to being a Senator or a Representative in the House or enjoy being an envoy for the guy who beats you in the primaries. There are perks like a retirement check. Kamala Harris career is probably at its high water mark. Well she may preside over an impeachment won’t that be fun if Justice Roberts declines the honor. O if she wants the brass ring she starts her campaign now and sets herself as independent of the President. Maybe goes and uses the 25th amendment. The VP is normally a dead end for ones political career.
14 vice presidents became president. See list here.