Former Virginia AG Jason Miyares Joins Mike Pence’s Advancing American Freedom as Distinguished Fellow

Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is joining Advancing American Freedom as a distinguished fellow focusing on legal and constitutional issues, parental rights, and public safety policy. The group announced the appointment on Tuesday, months after Miyares lost his reelection bid in Virginia. Advancing American Freedom was founded by Mike Pence in 2021 in the aftermath of the Jan.

6, 2021, Capitol riot. Pence split with President Donald Trump over certifying the 2020 election results, and the organization has promoted limited government, anti-abortion policies, and a hawkish foreign policy. “Jason Miyares is a principled conservative with an inspiring personal story who served Virginia with integrity, and I couldn’t be more honored to welcome him to Advancing American Freedom,” Pence said in a statement.

Miyares, a Republican, served as Virginia’s attorney general from 2022 until January 2026. He defeated Democrat Mark Herring in 2021 to win the office and became the first Hispanic American elected to statewide office in Virginia. During his tenure, Miyares made combating violent crime, fentanyl trafficking, and culture-war fights over education key pillars of his work.

He remained closely aligned with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and was considered a rising Republican figure nationally before his defeat in 2025. Miyares lost reelection last year to Democrat Jay Jones.

Democrats regained momentum in statewide races in Virginia and flipped Virginia blue. Washington Examiner reported that the move places Miyares in a conservative organization that at times has served as a counterweight to the more populist direction of the GOP under Trump. Since leaving office, Miyares has remained active in conservative legal and political circles.