The Hill News

Prominent Republican Senator Orrin Hatch (Utah) has voiced his support for the proposed mosque in lower Manhattan.

Hatch, who is a Mormon, recently told a Fox News affiliate in Salt Lake City that "if the the Muslims own that property, a private property, and they want to build a mosque there, they should have a right to do so."

Hatch said that Mormons have also faced opposition in trying to build houses of worship, and that public opinion has no role in deciding the future of the proposed mosque, known as Park51. 

"The only question is are they being insensitive to those who suffered the loss of loved ones? We know there were Muslims killed on 9-11 and we know it's a great religion," he said.

"That [public opinion] should not make a difference if they decide to do it, and I'd be the first to stand up for their rights." 

Recent polls -- including a Quinnipiac survey released Tuesday -- show that both New Yorkers and the broader public tend to question the sensitivity of building the mosque in lower Manhattan, near Ground Zero. 

The issue has gained national prominence and forced embattled 2010 incumbents to take sides.

Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), also a Mormon, notably broke with President Obama on the issue, saying the mosque should be "built someplace else."

Hatch noted this weekend that he has sponsored legislation like the Religious Land Use and Zoning Bill, which passed in 2000 and aims to protect religious buildings from discrimination by local regulators.

"There are a lot of Muslim people that I have a high regard for," he added.