Pence group announces $20 million effort to fight GOP’s ‘drift toward populism’.

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Former Vice President Mike Pence’s political advocacy group plans to invest $20 million this year to shape the conservative agenda, an effort to directly counter what Pence had previously described as populism “unmoored to conservative principles.”

Advancing American Freedom, which Pence launched in 2021, announced Wednesday the creation of the American Solutions Project, a three-prong effort to push more traditional conservative policy priorities during an election year likely to be dominated by former President Trump.

“Our nation was founded on conservative principles that have stood the test of time. The Constitution and this great American experiment must not be swayed by movements or personalities, but must hold fast to the time-honored principles that have made America strong and prosperous and free,” Pence said in a statement to RealClearPolitics, which first reported on the new effort.

The new project, an outline of which was obtained by The Hill, will have three main objectives.

The first will be to shape political majorities by creating a policy platform for candidates to embrace “and reverse the Right’s drift toward populism and the Left’s embrace of socialism.”

The second piece is focused on championing conservative legislation and advancing Pence’s policy priorities, which include promoting free trade, limiting government spending, restoring U.S. leadership on the world stage, and confronting China.

The third and final part of the project is aimed at protecting conservative principles, such as limited government.

The $20 million investment will allow Advancing American Freedom to expand its staff, build out its infrastructure and promote its work. RealClearPolitics first reported that former Heritage Foundation President Ed Feulner will join the group, as will major conservative donor Art Pope and Catholic University board of trustees chair Victor Smith.

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