At the funeral for former President Jimmy Carter, Mike Pence stood among a rare congregation of all living U.S. presidents, each a testament to the nation's history. However, for Pence, this gathering was a stark reminder of what could have been. The election deniers, who staunchly believe the 2020 election was marred by fraud, view Pence's actions on January 6, 2021, as a betrayal of unprecedented scale. Had Pence stood his ground and refused to certify what they see as a fraudulent election, he might have been the President-elect today. Instead, by following what he perceived as his constitutional duty, Pence had, in their eyes, shirked his responsibility as Vice President to act as a crucial check against electoral malfeasance.
 

The narrative from the perspective of election deniers is one of missed opportunity and lost integrity. They argue that Pence had the power and the duty to challenge the electoral votes from states where significant irregularities were alleged. By not doing so, Pence, in their view, facilitated the rise of a presidency they consider illegitimate, leading to a perceived erosion of democratic principles. If Pence had taken the bold step to reject these votes, he might have been hailed by this group as a defender of democracy, potentially altering the course of history where he would have been inaugurated as the president, standing tall as the rightful leader in this circle of former and current leaders.
 

As Pence observed the solemn proceedings, surrounded by the figures of American leadership, the regret might have been palpable. In this alternate reality where the election deniers' claims hold true, Pence is not just a former vice president but a figure who failed to uphold what they see as his sacred duty to protect the nation from electoral fraud. The irony of being at a funeral, a place where one reflects on legacy and duty, might have been lost on no one more than Pence himself. Here, amidst these leaders, he might have pondered the weight of his decision on January 6, a choice that, according to this narrative, sealed a different, perhaps darker, chapter in American history.