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Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, in London on a trade trip, was forced to elaborate Wednesday on his views about evolution after his decision to “punt” on the question turned into a trans-Atlantic stumble.

Mr. Walker, a Republican who is considering a run for president, said in a Twitter post that he believed faith and science were compatible and that it was unfortunate his earlier remarks about evolution had been politicized.

Both science & my faith dictate my belief that we are created by God. I believe faith & science are compatible, & go hand in hand. — Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) February 11, 2015

During a discussion on global partnerships at London’s Chatham House on Wednesday, Mr. Walker avoided several questions on foreign policy. When he was asked about his belief in evolution, Mr. Walker said, “I’m going to punt on that one.”

“I’m here to talk about trade, not to pontificate on other issues,” he added. “I love the evolution of trade in Wisconsin.”

Evolution is a sensitive issue for the evangelical Christian base of the Republican Party, and presidential candidates have had to tread carefully around it in recent years.

A Pew Research Center poll conducted last year found that in 2013, 43 percent of Republicans believe that humans have evolved over time, while 67 percent of Democrats believe so. In 2009, 54 percent of Republicans believed in evolution, suggesting that many in the party are becoming increasingly skeptical of the theory.

After Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey garnered negative attention in London last week after his comments on vaccinations, Mr. Walker was likely trying to avoid subjects that could come back to haunt him. In his follow-up on Twitter, he did his best to diffuse the issue before returning home.

“Both science and my faith dictate my belief that we are created by God,” Mr. Walker said.