Former VP Mike Pence is recovering from a Wednesday surgery in which he had a pacemaker installed, reports the Indianapolis Star. The 61-year-old's office says Pence had been experiencing "symptoms associated with a slow heart rate" over the past two weeks, necessitating the procedure at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus in Falls Church, Virginia. "The routine surgery was successful, and he is expected to fully recover and return to normal activity in the coming days," says the statement, per CNN.
Before becoming vice president, Pence disclosed a heart issue, one known as "asymptomatic left bundle branch block." He did not not have any known health problems while in office. The Hill notes that Pence launched a conservative advocacy group called Advancing American Freedom earlier this month, and he was scheduled give his first major speech since leaving office later this month in South Carolina. It's not clear if that will still take place. (Pence also has struck a deal to write two books.)