The politically dicey stem cell debate has pitted moderates against conservatives, and President Bush has threatened to veto a bill advancing in the GOP-dominated Congress that would allow more stem cell research.

In Republican-heavy Utah, nearly 53 percent of adults back the legislation that would enlarge the research, according to a poll commissioned June 8-10 by The Salt Lake Tribune. About 35 percent disagree with the proposal, and 12 percent didn't know or declined to answer.

Such support is "very interesting," to Kirk Jowers, the incoming director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics.

"I would kind of think that people wouldn't be acquainted with it to come down on it," Jowers said.

Even if those surveyed were aware of the issue, Jowers says, it is surprising they would support the legislation, "particularly when a vote for it would be against Bush."

But stem cells are an issue that crosses party lines, even with Utah's representatives.

Three members of Utah's federal delegation - Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett and Rep. Jim Matheson - support the legislation or are at least open to expansion, while two, Reps. Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon, do not want to increase federal money for embryonic stem cell research.

The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 passed the House in May by 238 to 194, and a companion bill awaits Senate action. The bill has 40 co-sponsors on the Senate side.

Hatch, a staunch pro-life Republican, says he is "heartened" by the poll numbers and believes that the public understands that the research would not jeopardize human life.

"The more that this debate gets going the more people say to me, 'I think you're right about this issue,' " Hatch said Friday, calling the full stem cell debate the most important medical research debate of our lifetime.

"It does have a chance of helping alleviate pain and suffering and disease," he said.

Bennett says he supports the current federal research on stem cells from embryos that cannot turn into live children and says research can be expanded without risking lives.

But he says Congress should not abdicate its leadership over the research.

"I am open to discussion on the question of how much and with what kind of embryos," Bennett said.

Matheson doesn't buy the arguments of opponents to embryonic stem cell research equating it to murder because the embryo could possibly become a person.

"Life does not begin in a petri dish," he said.

"As long as this is done within strict ethical guidelines, and that's what this bill does, this is the path I'm comfortable with federal policy following," said Utah's lone congressional Democrat.

Cannon, on the other hand, stands firmly with Bush on the issue.

Stem cells taken from umbilical cords offer potential to help with more than 65 diseases, he says, and he would back a veto of any bill to federally fund research using more embryonic stem cells.

"Innovation is a key weapon in our fight against many diseases," Cannon said in a recent statement. "But this innovation should not come with the cost of destroying human life."

Bishop, likewise, says major breakthroughs with research into stem cells came from using adult stem cells whereas embryonic stem cell study "is still somewhat speculative."

"The limited results that have come from embryonic stem cell research and the deep moral and ethical questions that type of research raises should cause all of us to proceed with great care and caution," Bishop said through his spokesman, Scott Parker.

tburr@sltrib.com

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Tribune reporter Robert Gehrke contributed to this story.

Where Utah delegation stands

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R: Supports expanded research on stem cells that cannot turn into live humans and is a co-sponsor of the Stem Cell Research bill now before the Senate.

Sen. Bob Bennett, R: Supports Hatch's bill and has similar position.

Rep. Jim Matheson, D: Voted for the research bill in the House. Supports expanded use within ethical guidelines.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R: Voted against the bill in the House; supports expanded use of umbilical cord stem cells but not embryonic stem cell research because it "risks potential human life."

Rep. Chris Cannon, R: Voted against the bill in the House, but supports expanded use of umbilical cord stem cells.