In an interview for ABC News, Jon Huntsman called out his Republican opponents for rejecting the science of evolution and climate change.

Tapper asked, “Were you just being cheeky or do you think there’s a serious problem with what Governor Perry said?” Huntsman’s response: “I think there’s a serious problem. The minute that the Republican Party becomes the party - the anti-science party, we have a huge problem. We lose a whole lot of people who would otherwise allow us to win the election in 2012.”

That minute came and went about 20 years ago, by the way.

Huntsman went on to describe what he sees as the long term political downside to questioning science:

When we take a position that isn’t willing to embrace evolution, when we take a position that basically runs counter to what 98 of 100 climate scientists have said, what the National Academy of Science - Sciences has said about what is causing climate change and man’s contribution to it, I think we find ourselves on the wrong side of science, and, therefore, in a losing position….I can’t remember a time in our history where we actually were willing to shun science and become a - a party that - that was antithetical to science. I’m not sure that’s good for our future and it’s not a winning formula.

I don’t think Huntsman is right; this definitely is a winning formula, with a base of Republican voters who overwhelmingly reject any scientific facts that contradict the literal word of the Bible.

But at the same time, Huntsman is making sure no one will mistake him for a liberal, by advocating for the religious right’s most extreme anti-abortion position — a federal constitutional amendment to strip away women’s right to choose when to bear a child: Huntsman sheds moderate label on abortion.

“Governor Huntsman supports a federal amendment that would ensure legal protections for the unborn,” said Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller. “He’s proud of his record in Utah and will continue to advocate for life on a national level.”

Karrie Galloway, executive director of Planned Parenthood of Utah, said Huntsman’s support for a constitutional amendment appears to be a shift to the right for him.

“He seems to be bending toward a very conservative agenda,” Galloway said. “That certainly makes him much more strident than he was as governor of Utah. He didn’t make that any part of his platform [then]. I’m disappointed that he is bowing to the extreme conservative politics.”