Read a Nov. 30, 2011, article from the Huffington Post about former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum’s views on evolution. Santorum argued for the teaching of creationism in public schools; instead, he says, “the left” and “the scientific community” aren’t allowing that because they don’t want classroom discussions about God.

Read about Mitt Romney’s stance on evolution in a May 11, 2007, article from The New York Times. Romney said that God likely used evolution as a tool when creating humanity. As for intelligent design, he said, “I’m not exactly sure what is meant” by it. Romney opposed the teaching of intelligent design in Massachusetts science classes […]

Read a 2006 interview in which former House speaker Newt Gingrich said that “evolution should be taught as science, and intelligent design should be taught as philosophy.”

Read a May 17, 2011, article published by CBS Minnesota about then-GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich’s views on evolution. Gingrich said in May 2011 that he sees no conflict between faith and science with regard to life’s origins.

A September 2011 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, in partnership with Religion News Service, showed that a majority of Americans (57 percent) believe in evolution. But white evangelicals and Tea Party members — a core constituency for the GOP — are significantly less likely to believe in evolution.

A January 2012 survey of Protestant pastors, conducted by LifeWay Research, shows that by a wide margin most of them believe that God did not use evolution to create humans and think Adam and Eve were literal people. It also found that ministers are almost evenly split on whether the Earth is thousands of years old.

Read a Jan. 23, 2012, post at the Religion Clause blog that counts six separate bills pending in state legislatures that promote teaching creationism or intelligent design in schools.

Read a Jan. 31, 2012, Religion News Service story about the efforts of state governments to remove evolution from school curriculum.

David Klinghoffer is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and the editor of Evolution News & Views.