The American Spectator

Public radio KCPW in Salt Lake City reports:

As Republican Governor Jon Huntsman prepares to depart from the state to become U.S. Ambassador to China, he leaves behind a legacy of outreach to progressive groups. Will Carlson with Equality Utah calls Huntsman an outstanding advocate for gay and transgendered residents.

“Jon Huntsman was a pioneer in saying that you can be a conservative Republican and still stand up for basic rights for all Utahns, and that’s going to make it a lot easier for Gary Herbert or any other Republican to say, regardless of where I stand on the political spectrum, equal rights is something that I can stand behind,” he said.

Huntsman recently announced his support of civil unions, calling it an issue of equal rights.

The governor will also be remembered for joining the Western Climate Initiative, a move that was opposed by more conservative Republicans in the state legislature, but praised by environmentalists. Wayne Hoskisson, chair of the Utah Sierra Club, is concerned the state may withdraw from the group once Huntsman is gone.

“That’s a real possibility,” he told KCPW. “We’re hopeful that’s not going to happen. We think that the science is there, we think that Governor Huntsman’s environmental staff are well aware of what the problems are, and what kinds of things actually represent a solution, and we’re hopeful that it will continue.”

We think the science is there? Well we think the science is not! Are we imposing trillions of dollars of additional costs on the economy based on thoughts?

Meanwhile the New York Times wonders whether new Governor Gary Herbert will withdraw Utah from the WCI.