The entire GOP has a problem with sincere ignorance being valued more highly than real knowledge.

E.g., creationism, climate change denial, and 100% resistance to fact-based policy making in general.

I think part of the problem is that this nonsense has been treated as respectable belief by too many non-believers. For example, most people’s reaction to finding out a political candidate or office holder is a young earth creationist is a big yawn or a reluctance to challenge that person’s religious beliefs.

We can’t afford to indulge these fools any more. If someone is a young earth creationist, they are delusional because their beliefs contradict all available evidence. If they advance any argument for their beliefs other than goddidit (e.g., saying that empirical evidence supports young earth creationism), they are lying and/or merely repeating their programming. Either way, their views should be mocked and derided, as opposed to being given any kind of cover or respect.