Rep. John Hall (NY-19) has become the fourth Democratic member of the 29-member New York congressional delegation to publicly call for the mosque proposed for construction near Ground Zero to be relocated to a less controversial site.

“I think honoring those killed on Sept. 11 and showing sensitivity to their families, it would be best if the center were built at a different location,” Hall said in a statement released yesterday.

So far, Democratic Reps. Mike McMahon, Mike Arcuri, and Tim Bishop – all of whom face potentially difficult re-election bids this fall – have come out against building the mosque at the current site. UPDATE: As Maggie Haberman reminded me, it’s five: I left out Rep. Steve Israel, a Long Islander who is being challenged by Republican/Conservative John Gomez.

Hall, who was elected in 2006, is facing a challenge from GOP newcomer Nan Hayworth, who is largely self-funding (she kicked in $500,000 to her own camapaign so far).

Hayworth has been pressuing Hall to speak up about the mosque since President Obama made his comments on the topic last Friday, issuing the following statement:

“President Obama fails to understand the pain that Americans feel about locating this large new mosque so near Ground Zero. If those planning the mosque truly wish to promote peace, they should build it in a different location, or they should also include a church and synagogue. THAT would be a tremendous demonstration of interfaith tolerance.”

And then yesterday, after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she thought the funding of the mosque opponents – not supporters – ought to be investigated, Hayworth issued yet another statement, asking Hall whether he agreed with the speaker and for him to weigh in on her employment of “tactics from the playbook of the old Soviet Union to intimidate Americans who are speaking their minds.”

There are as many as eight NY congressional districts on the watch list this year. So far, the Democratic contenders in the others – incumbent Reps. Dan Maffei (NY-25), Scott Murphy (NY-20), Bill Owens (NY-20) – have chosen to remain mum on the mosque, despite pressure from their respective GOP challengers to do so – or at least public statements made on the issue by those candidates.

NY-29, the district once represented by disgraced former Rep. Eric Massa, is an open seat that tilts Republican at the moment. I have yet to hear anything from the GOP frontrunner, Tom Reed, or his Democratic opponent, Matt Zeller, on the mosque.

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