Pence’s advocacy group adds staff, sets $20M budget for 2025

A conservative advocacy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence announced a pair of new hires and laid out plans for a $20 million budget in 2025 as it seeks to influence policy debates in the Republican Party.

Advancing American Freedom (AAF) said it was hiring Roger Custer as its director of development, according to a release shared exclusively with The Hill. Custer, who led the advocacy group America’s Future Foundation from 2011 to 2017, will lead fundraising efforts for the Pence-led group.

Advancing American Freedom raised $11 million in 2023 and $15.8 million in 2024.

“We are thrilled to have Roger Custer join our team as Advancing American Freedom continues to grow and expand our impact in the conservative movement,” AAF President Tim Chapman said in a statement. “Roger has led incredible growth for several organizations across the conservative landscape. There is no one better positioned to help AAF scale our advocacy for conservative public policy solutions that improve the lives of all Americans.”

Pence’s group also announced the hiring of Sydney Stubbs as its vice president of communications. Stubbs worked with the conservative group Americans for Prosperity, in Congress and in Pence’s vice presidential office.

The group earlier this year announced the hire of former Heritage Foundation research fellow Joel Griffith as its new policy adviser.

Pence launched Advancing American Freedom after his term as vice president ended in 2021. He has used the group to try to influence the policy debate by pushing conservative ideas like lowering taxes, boosting national defense and promoting anti-abortion policies.

The group has broken with the Trump administration on the use of tariffs, describing it as a tax hike on Americans, and Pence has spoken in favor of support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Advancing American Freedom also launched an ad campaign opposing Trump's nomination of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing his abortion views.

Pence, who ran an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2023, has simultaneously advocated for an extension of the tax cuts passed during the first Trump administration and has been critical of Democratic policy proposals.