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The Conservative Caucus Podcast #10 – Gene Mills

Published: August 20, 2025
Network: The Conservative Caucus
Analysis: Conservative Caucus President Jim Pfaff

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The pro-life movement Louisiana has achieved what many states only dream of—transforming a historically Democrat-controlled state into a national model for protecting the unborn and defending religious liberty. In this compelling conversation, Gene Mills, executive director of Louisiana Family Forum, reveals the strategic partnerships and principled approach that turned Louisiana into a testing ground for conservative policy victories that are now reshaping the national landscape.

Topics Covered

• The Origins of Louisiana Family Forum and the Pro-Life Movement
• The Catholic-Evangelical Partnership That Changed Everything
• Why Abortion Undermines Every Other Right
• The Proper Role of Government in God’s Design
• Louisiana’s Historic Republican Supermajority
• Protecting Children: The App Store Accountability Act
• The 62nd Brigade: Making Citizen Activism Simple
• Recent Supreme Court Victories and What’s Next
• Key Takeaways

The Origins of Louisiana Family Forum and the Pro-Life Movement

Louisiana Family Forum didn’t emerge from a think tank or political strategy session—it was born from the trenches of the abortion battle. Gene Mills traces the organization’s origins back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, when clergy, parents, and policymakers began recognizing the profound injustice occurring in their communities.

“The unborn had no voice and unless we provided that voice, the injustices that were occurring on our watch would go unabated and unredressed,” Mills explained. “I see it as a mission field. I’m really a missionary to the government arena, the place where decisions are made.”

The pivotal moment came when Tony Perkins, then a city policeman, was ordered to stand guard over an abortion clinic during peaceful protests. Perkins refused the order, telling his commander, “You can’t fire me—I quit.” That act of conscience launched Perkins into public service, first as a state legislator and eventually as president of the Family Research Council.

“His first observation at the capital when he got there was, well, the business interests have their lobby, the shrimpers have their lobby, the attorneys have their lobby. Where is the voice of the church?”
— Gene Mills on Tony Perkins

That question led to the founding of Louisiana Family Forum in 1997-98, establishing a model that would influence family policy councils nationwide.

The Catholic-Evangelical Partnership That Changed Everything

What makes Louisiana uniquely successful in advancing pro-life policies? Mills points to an unprecedented cooperation between Catholics and evangelicals that didn’t exist before Louisiana Family Forum arrived on the scene.

“When we showed up, we realized we have far more in common with our Catholic brethren than we realize,” Mills said. “The evangelicals and the Catholics began to work together. And when they did, they realized the life movement—the Catholics got it right.”

This partnership proved transformational. Mills describes learning from Catholic physicians about the concept of “one immortal cell”—the understanding that human life begins at conception when sperm and egg unite, creating a cell that will live forever in some form.

Mills now describes his coalition as “the Baptists, the bishops, and the baker’s dozen”—referring to the expanding network of denominations working together on life and family issues. This ecumenical approach has become a force multiplier, bringing pastoral influence directly into the legislative process.

Why Abortion Undermines Every Other Right

Both Mills and host Jim Pfaff emphasized that the abortion issue represents far more than a single policy debate—it’s a fundamental breakdown in American culture that affects everything else.

“When the fundamental right to life is abated, there are no rights that exist beyond that,” Mills stated. “If you don’t get that one right, that’s a basic building block. You’re not going to get anything right.”

Pfaff argued that the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision caused even more cultural damage than the 1963 Supreme Court prayer decision, because abortion “digs deeply down into the culture in ways that are hard to extract.” He noted that millions of women who have had abortions carry suffering—whether recognized or not—that the social science clearly documents.

“There is a large-scale disrespect for human life that used to not exist. We had a formality in terms of a residue of the respect for life that has largely been lost in America today and sadly we have not been able to bring it back just yet.”
— Gene Mills

Mills pointed to the work of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, a former abortion provider whose video “The Silent Scream” showed what actually happens during an abortion procedure. “Most people don’t realize it. You just soon be talking about stock options as what transpires in the termination of a beating heart,” Mills observed.

The conversation highlighted how the abortion debate shifted from “when does life begin” to simply ignoring the settled science. “We know now that’s settled,” Mills said. “And the other side has said notwithstanding you might have won the argument.”

The Proper Role of Government in God’s Design

A significant portion of the discussion focused on understanding government’s legitimate role within God’s design for human society—a topic both men see as critical to addressing current political dysfunction.

Mills explained his understanding based on Daniel 4:17: “The Most High is sovereign in the kingdoms of men. He commits them to whomsoever he will.” This scripture, Mills argued, establishes that government exists within boundaries—”property lines” that define legitimate authority.

“Government was God’s idea. It can be mishandled when it’s put in the hands of men,” Mills said, drawing a parallel to Adam in the garden who “by consent, handed the keys over to another authority.”

Mills outlined four levels of government in God’s design:

1. Self-government – The power to say no to wrong and yes to right, for which individuals give account to God
2. Family government – The role of mother and father in the home, the basic building block of society
3. Church government – Spiritual authority and community accountability
4. Civil government – Designed as a safety net when other levels fail, with redemptive rather than merely penal purposes

Pfaff emphasized that this proper understanding of government contradicts the current American reality: “We are literally in a state of being in the United States where frankly we don’t follow the constitution. If we did, we wouldn’t spend 70-80% of what we spend at the federal level.”

Both men warned against the state attempting to replace God—dictating family structure, restricting religious expression, and claiming authority that belongs to individuals, families, and churches. “They want us to actually have the state be God,” Pfaff said. “And this is a real threat.”

Louisiana’s Historic Republican Supermajority

Louisiana’s political transformation represents one of the most dramatic shifts in American state politics. Mills provided crucial historical context that many observers miss.

“For the first time in Louisiana history, we have a supermajority in all branches of government,” Mills announced. “Most people don’t realize the Democrats have controlled the narrative in the United States, in the Supreme Court, and in the state of Louisiana.”

The first statewide elected Republican official in Louisiana didn’t occur until 1997 with Mike Foster—since the Reconstruction era. Louisiana produced political figures like Huey Long, Edwin Edwards, and most recently John Bell Edwards, a Democrat who served two terms as governor ending in 2024.

Mills described his relationship with John Bell Edwards as friendly but often at odds politically. He gave Edwards a copy of Wayne Grudem’s “Politics According to the Bible,” an 800-page seminary-level textbook, telling him: “This isn’t an easy read, but if you ever want to know where we stand on an issue or the different philosophies and theocratic constructions around scripture, consult this book on any given matter and you’ll know where we stand.”

Edwards’ first act as governor was to elevate Form for Equality, an LGBT advocacy group, giving them offices on the fourth floor of the governor’s office and embedding “sexual politics” throughout state government.

The election of Jeff Landry as governor changed everything. With a two-thirds majority in both legislative chambers and Republicans in statewide offices across the board, Louisiana now has the opportunity to fundamentally transform state policy.

“Jeff’s charge was to turn the state around. That’s not an easy task because you got to go into that embedded bureaucracy and seed it out of every department. That’s a long process. I think Trump has illustrated that very well.”
— Gene Mills on Governor Jeff Landry

Protecting Children: The App Store Accountability Act

One of Louisiana Family Forum’s most significant recent legislative efforts addresses what Mills calls “the most dangerous playground in America for a child”—the smartphone.

The App Store Accountability Act builds on Louisiana’s pioneering age verification law for pornography websites, authored by Representative Lori Schlaggel. That law required sites like Pornhub to verify users’ ages before allowing access to Louisiana residents. Rather than comply, Pornhub pulled out of Louisiana entirely, and dozens of states have followed with similar legislation.

“What we promised to come back and do was age verification on the app stores where access is gained and where billions of reasons are given to Apple, Google, and Meta to say, ‘No, thank you. We don’t want parents involved in this. We would like unfettered access to your children,'” Mills explained.

The legislation’s premise is simple but profound: “There’s no appropriate way to introduce inappropriate material to a child. And if it’s a parent’s responsibility, give them the tools they need in order to level the playing field.”

Mills acknowledged that smartphones themselves are “neither inherently good or inherently evil—they’re just a tool.” But he noted that the average age of first exposure to pornography is between 8 and 10 years old, and that these devices create “a dopamine drop not unlike what you get with cocaine or some other drug.”

Pfaff strongly agreed with the legislation while also challenging parents: “We also need parents to keep their kids off the dang phones. You’ve got kids 8 and 10 years old with phones and it’s absolutely freaking crazy and there’s no reason for it. They need to be in books and reading. They need to be outside playing.”

The 62nd Brigade: Making Citizen Activism Simple

Louisiana Family Forum has developed an innovative grassroots tool called the 62nd Brigade that makes legislative engagement remarkably simple for ordinary citizens.

“Good ideas have a tendency to die an early death at the capital. Bad ones have a long life unless you intervene,” Mills explained. The challenge is that most people don’t have time to track legislation, attend committee hearings, or craft effective communications to lawmakers.

The 62nd Brigade solves this problem by building “an on-ramp for the average citizen to let their voice be heard when the decisions were being made at a committee level.”

Here’s how it works:

• Twenty-four hours before a bill is heard in committee, Louisiana Family Forum sends an alert to Brigade members
• The alert includes a pre-crafted, reasonable response to the legislation
• Members personalize the message and send it to their lawmaker on that specific committee
• The system generates “hundreds and thousands of responses” at critical decision points

“What we try to do is make it dummy proof. We try to keep it easy. We’re not asking them for a great deal of their time. I don’t deluge them with my day-to-day responsibilities. I only offer them the opportunity to speak.”
— Gene Mills on the 62nd Brigade

Mills emphasized that Louisiana Family Forum operates differently from traditional lobbying organizations. “We’re not whining and dining them. I’m not putting money in their pockets,” he said. Instead, the organization builds relationships based on integrity—”the one currency that exists at the capital beyond any other.”

The organization also provides “floor notes” when bills reach the chamber floor and maintains a physical presence at the capitol, available to lawmakers when they need reliable, timely information.

Recent Supreme Court Victories and What’s Next

The conversation touched on recent Supreme Court decisions that vindicate decades of pro-life movement Louisiana efforts and similar work nationwide.

Pfaff mentioned the 6-3 Supreme Court decision in Medina v. Planned Parenthood, which allows state Medicaid organizations to refuse funding to Planned Parenthood. Mills was hearing this news for the first time during the recording.

“I’ve invested my entire adult life on this issue,” Mills responded. He described how Louisiana Family Forum celebrated the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade by ringing a bell—the same tradition used at St. Jude when cancer patients go cancer-free.

“The enemy has said that’s my territory, that’s mine, to which we said no sir, you have no ownership, no authority, only by consent and we withhold our consent for your authority to move in this arena,” Mills said. “And the court’s validating that. I think this is the beginning of many new decisions that are coming.”

Mills pointed to Justice Clarence Thomas as a key ally on the Supreme Court, quoting Thomas as saying of recent pro-life decisions: “Send me more. Send them to me. I’m with you. We can do this.”

Both men emphasized that the current Supreme Court composition creates a unique opportunity to set legal precedents that will benefit the entire nation. Mills explained that Louisiana Family Forum doesn’t just pass legislation—they work with the state attorney general and organizations like Alliance Defending Freedom and Liberty Institute to ensure bills can withstand court scrutiny and set helpful precedents.

“We can’t just do legislation. You got to set precedent and you got to set the bar high,” Mills said. “We’re trying to set legislation that will be decided by the courts and set a precedent that’s healthy for the rest of the nation.”

Looking ahead, Mills sees the abortion battle in Louisiana continuing primarily through two avenues the pro-life movement Louisiana must address: Biden-era mail-order abortions and Planned Parenthood scholarships that send women out of state. “That is the big wicked secret that’s not been exposed,” Mills said, “is that right now they’re using the postal service and other delivery methods to get medications across state lines to a minor often without a parent’s consent.”

Louisiana has secured $4 million in additional funding for crisis pregnancy centers through the most recent budget, maintains a “Choose Life” license plate that funds pregnancy clinics and homes for unwed mothers and battered women, and continues deploying mobile clinics. “We believe we can’t just say no. We got to give them options and opportunities to come to the right conclusion and the assistance they need when they’re in the midst of a duress situation,” Mills explained.

The conversation concluded with Mills emphasizing the spiritual dimension of political engagement. He quoted Isaiah 61, which his Special Forces son has as his life verse: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to open prison doors, to liberate the oppressed.”

“Andrew Kuyper said, ‘There’s not one ounce of creation over which Christ doesn’t say mine.’ And he’s just bearing witness to a truth. It’s a truth that’s been forgotten. We call it self-evident truths. They’re no longer as self-evident as they used to be. They need men and women to give voice.”
— Gene Mills

Mills outlined three principles for effective engagement, borrowed from military fire discipline: identify your audience, tell your story (aim your weapon through communication), and ask for a response. “This is a battle between good and evil, truth and error, light and dark,” he said. “Darkness deserves as much light as we can possibly bring it.”

Key Takeaways

1. Catholic-Evangelical Unity Drives Success – The pro-life movement Louisiana achieved unprecedented victories by building an unprecedented coalition between Catholics and evangelicals who recognized their common ground on life and family issues.
2. Abortion Undermines All Other Rights – When society fails to protect the fundamental right to life, no other rights can be secure. The abortion debate represents a cultural breakdown that affects everything from taxation to family policy.
3. Government Has Limited, God-Designed Roles – Proper government operates within boundaries established by self-government, family government, and church government. Civil government should serve as a safety net, not a replacement for these primary institutions.
4. Louisiana’s Transformation Offers a National Model – From complete Democrat control through Reconstruction until 1997 to today’s Republican supermajority, Louisiana demonstrates how sustained, principled engagement can transform state politics.
5. Protecting Children Requires Parental Tools – The App Store Accountability Act recognizes that parents need legal tools to match tech giants’ resources. Age verification represents a reasonable middle ground between unfettered access and prohibition.
6. Grassroots Engagement Must Be Simple – The 62nd Brigade succeeds because it removes barriers to citizen participation. Making advocacy “dummy proof” generates hundreds of responses at critical legislative moments.
7. Integrity Matters More Than Money – Louisiana Family Forum’s influence comes from building relationships based on reliable, principled information rather than financial contributions or wining and dining lawmakers.
8. The Supreme Court Window Is Open – With Justice Clarence Thomas and other originalist justices, there’s a unique opportunity to set legal precedents that protect life and religious liberty nationwide. Louisiana aims to provide test cases.
9. Mail-Order Abortions Are the New Battleground – Despite Louisiana’s strong pro-life laws, the Biden administration’s approval of mail-order abortion pills and Planned Parenthood’s out-of-state referrals represent the next frontier in the abortion battle.
10. Spiritual Warfare Requires Physical Action – While prayer is essential for battling principalities and powers, Christians must also engage in the physical realm through legislation, advocacy, and principled political involvement. Prayer should ask God to bless the work of our hands, not replace that work.

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About The Conservative Caucus:
The Conservative Caucus is a grassroots public policy action organization, formed in 1974. Headed by President Jim Pfaff, the Caucus is committed to advancing free enterprise, limited government, and traditional values.

Originally broadcast August 20, 2025 on The Conservative Caucus.